Six Sigma In Health-Care Service: A Case Study On Covid 19 Patients' Satisfaction

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the major influencing factors for the COVID 19 patients' satisfaction with a six sigma framework model and to explore the successful deployment of six sigma in the health-care sector a case study on COVID 19 patients' satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a descriptive research design conducted in Chennai, India between May to July 2020 wherein 1,000 COVID 19 patients were studied. The convenience sampling method is used by the researcher for data collection. In this research paper, define-measure-analysis-improve-control methodology has been applied and factors such as assurance, process standardization, infrastructure, waiting time, cost were analyzed using quality function deployment (QFD), regression analysis and Monte Carlo simulation.FindingsThe applied six sigma model indicated that process standardization contributed the most toward the variation in COVID 19 patients' satisfaction. Assurance by doctors is the second important factor. The interpersonal quality is important, which indicates a higher level of psychological needs in COVID 19 patients. Waiting time is another important factor influencing COVID 19 patients' satisfaction. One of the unexpected findings is that cost is insignificant in influencing COVID 19 patients' satisfaction.Originality/valueSix Sigma focuses on process variation improvement that encourages data analysis and problem-solving statistical techniques and evaluates the ability of a process to perform defect-free. Six sigma focused toward COVID 19 patients' satisfaction has not been carried out, which this paper has done.