Tift Regional Medical Center employees earn their ‘black belts’

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September 3, 2012

Tift Regional Medical Center employees earn their ‘black belts’

Special to The Gazette CNHI The Tifton Gazette Mon Sep 03, 2012, 10:43 PM EDT

TIFTON — Tift Regional Medical Center’s implemented Lean Six Sigma principles implemented in 2010 and the initiative continues to prove to benefit the organization. Officials say it is significantly streamlining processes and recovering costs for the organization.

“By adopting these principles, TRMC has been able to analytically review and enhance current procedures. While cost savings are a part of the goal, the greater piece is developing ways to get better outcomes more easily,” said TRMC President/CEO William Richardson.

Richardson added that national health care reform is shifting the medical landscape from fee-for-service to reimbursements based on outcomes and value, and the initiative is placing TRMC ahead of the curve.

All managers at TRMC have been engaged in the process, but man recently earned Yellow Belt status, the first level in Lean Six Sigma training and certification. The four levels include Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt and Master Black Belt. Yellow Belts are certified leaders capable of participating in Lean 6 projects. Yellow Belts are tasked with support functions on our process improvement teams. TRMC newly-certified Yellow Belts include Louise Woodham, Tracie Grace, Janice York, Daniel Goff, Mary Key, Rose Spurlock, Mandy McMillan, Christie Moore, Margaret Cousart, James Nixon, Wendy Moorman, Scott Smith, Tonia Garrett, Wanda Watson, Amanda Taylor, Cheryl Sumner, Daniel Bailey, Brenda Boazman, Sabrina Fletcher, Sandy Wells, Annie Paulk, Jessica Koerner and Anthony Dennard.

Eight employees have also recently received their Black Belts, including Chad Waldron, Cissy Shaw, Andrea Heath, Mindy McStott, Cindy McNeese, Valeria Creel, Keisha Stalnaker, Kathy Alberson. Black belts work as a motivator, change agent, tool and technique master, trainer/educator that can lead cross-functional, difficult Six Sigma improvement projects to successful completion and mentor others to do the same.

Examples of initiative activities include green efforts, such as reduction of paper; more efficient clinical staffing; workflow enhancement; elimination of process redundancies; consolidation of certain work responsibilities; more efficient ordering and stocking of supplies; the removal of bottlenecks in department procedures and more.

“This is not a project, but a cultural shift in the way managers view all processes within departments and across all areas at TRMC,” said Chad Waldron, Director of Lean Six Sigma.

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Tift Regional Medical Center employees earn their ‘black belts’

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