Improving Operational Efficiency in Ghanaian Government Hospitals Using the Six Sigma Model
Date
2013-06
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
In today's complex healthcare environment, a focus on quality is of particular importance.
Hospitals are increasingly realizing the need to focus on improved efficiency as a means of
eliminating poor quality of services, and as well, improve on their competitive position.
Within any industry, organizations must strive to continuously improve on their efficiency
while dealing with the complex and dynamic business environment. Reports have shown that
efficiency levels in the healthcare delivery systems of many developing countries are
relatively low (Ali, 2011). This assertion is seemingly true in the Ghanaian case (Kwakye,
2004). This research attempts to reduce the numerous quality problems existing in some
Ghanaian hospitals in specific categories for better understanding and as well improve on
these problems using the Six Sigma quality improvement model. Three hospitals were used in
this study. Two sets of questionnaires were used to collect data from both patients and staff of
these hospitals. The expectations and opinions of staff and patients were sought using eleven
service quality determinants. An analysis covering 103 patients and 56 staff revealed that
cleanliness, responsiveness and communication were the most considered quality
characteristics by patients in these hospitals. Factor analyzing these responses further
revealed eight categories of the problems identified by patients and four categories of the
problems identified by staff. It was concluded that most of the prevalent quality problems in
the hospitals were related to the functional aspects of the hospitals operations. The study
revealed that the challenges facing the staff were centered on information flow, internal
controls, financing and poor staffing issues. The Six Sigma DMAIC model is recommended
to eliminate most of these functional problems to improve on quality in these hospitals. An
illustration of the use of the DMAIC to solve the problem of crowding is given in chapter 6 of
the thesis.
Description
Thesis (MPHIL)-University of Ghana, 2013