Management Team of Georgia Medical Center Receive Six Sigma Training

Four members of the management team at Habersham Medical Center, in Demorest, GA, recently received Six Sigma Training and earned their Green Belt certifications, the center reported. The staff receiving the training included the chief clinical officer; the director of quality; director of the emergency department, respiratory, and prime care; and the director of obstetrics.

According to the medical center’s president, the new Green Belts are already putting their training to use introducing changes aimed at improving processes and advancing care at the center. The new processes are not short-term fixes, he stated, but long-term procedural changes that the organization will see the benefits of for years to come.

The Habersham Medical Center, which is located 80 miles from Atlanta, is a 53-bed not-for-profit acute care facility that serves more than 80,000 residents in Habersham and surrounding areas. The award-winning medical center is one of the largest employers in the area, with a staff of more than 600. Some of its specialties include orthopedics, obstetrics, urology, ophthalmology, and sports medicine. The facility also offers family practice, internal medicine, and general surgery, as well as 24/7 emergency care.

A certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt is a professional who is well versed in the Lean Six Sigma methodology who can lead and support improvement projects, typically as a part-time role. They understand how to perform and interpret Six Sigma tools and use the standard principals of Lean.

Why would an already successful medical care center chose to train its employees to implement Lean Six Sigma methodologies? Because that center understands success. Lean Six Sigma has a proven track record of decreasing waste and improving service.