Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare: Combating the Military's Escalating Pharmacy Costs
Abstract
Healthcare costs throughout the United States are on the rise, drawing increased scrutiny from government officials and Congress. The cost of pharmacy operations and pharmaceuticals is growing at a rate that is alarmingly higher than that of the total cost of military healthcare itself. Recent congressional legislation has essentially given the Department of Defense the ultimatum to cut costs for beneficiaries wherever possible, or risk having benefits arbitrarily cut by Congress. In the face of this possibility, cutting costs through better business practices must be explored, particularly within the area of pharmacy operations. This project explores the potential cost savings that can be realized by implementing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology in the pharmacy operations of the DoD Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF). This research proves that implementing Lean Six Sigma methodology will improve military pharmacy operations, often at little cost, while realizing significant savings and increased customer satisfaction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 30, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA529466
Entities
People
- Keebom Kang
- Uday M. Apte
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School