| In war, troops conduct reconnaissance to identify choke points in the battle area. Similarly, in the "War on Waste," quality managers expose the choke points in a process, such as repeated work that costs an organization time, money, opportunities, and customers. One method to combat wasteful variation is a rigorous quality tool known as Six Sigma.;This methodology supports a structured process referred to as DMAIC---define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. Companies including Motorola, General Electric, and Ford have claimed significant success using DMAIC, resulting in process improvements and savings.;The DMAIC model was tested against the rigid infrastructure of a military medical treatment facility. Defining and measuring a problem, analyzing its root cause, and testing theories of improvements were supported by research literature. The team improved the process of selecting the correct physician and assuring valid patient results and achieved customer satisfaction through timely patient management services. |
