Running head: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT 1

Recommendations for Improvement

Student’s Name

Course

Instructor

Date
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Recommendations for Improvement

Chapter 8 Case: Control of “thresholds for evaluation” (TFE’s) at Hallenvale Hospital

Quality is one of the fundamental elements in the continued success of any

organization. However, qualification issues remain a challenge for most organizations and

can result from distinct aspects such as the common cause variations. Some cases tend to

involve a particular reason also considered unusual. However, the common causes are evident

in processes that cut across an organization (Evans & Lindsay, 2017). Besides, control charts

help with quality control management by enabling displaying certain organizational

behaviors over time. The utilization of the control chart in such regard facilitates a visual

approach for viewing and understanding the gradual change of processes. The utilization of

the control chart in such relation enables a way of finding the average and the upper as well

as lower limits determined by historical data within a probability range (Evans & Lindsay,

2017). The chart data can then help determine whether the outcomes of the change process

are within limits.

An exploration of the control chart use involves creating a control chart for the

Hallenvale Hospital case study. The case involved over 36 months of data, especially

surgeries and documented infections. The data provides enabled the creation of the following

table:
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Hallenvale Hospital Control Chart

3

2.5

2 Percent
1.5 Mean (CL)
UCL
1 LCL
0.5

0
1 3 5 7 9 1 1 13 15 1 7 1 9 2 1 23 2 5 2 7 29 31 33 3 5
-0.5

-1

The control chart involved first mean calculation, especially the average percentage of

infection, which enabled the calculation of the upper control level (UCL) and the lower

control level (LCL). The findings indicate that the infection percentage remains within a

standard statistical control range. The management in such a context does not need to take

any action. Still, it is recommendable for the hospital's continued support through monitoring

of monthly infection rates, which is a standard TFE approach (Evans & Lindsay, 2017). Such

would enable an examination of the possible increase, which could create room for further

investigation. Besides, it would be ideal for reviewing the standard errors possible for the

mean formula works correctly. Such indicates that mistakes are possible in the control chart

based on incorrect conclusions, thereby causing wrong formulae. A review of the procedures

is, therefore, fundamental in facilitating adequate quality in an organization.

Chapter 9 Discussion Question 7, parts b, c, and g

Distinct approaches exist which provide ways for organizations to improve their

process performances. Understanding such creates an opportunity for knowing how and when

to move forward, primarily the existent of tools to help with the process. The following are
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three scenarios that help in determining some of the recommendable strategies for moving

forward.

B. The publication team for an engineering department wants to improve its user

documentation accuracy but is unsure why documents are not error-free.

The engineering department can consider using the FADE methodology in the

improvement of accuracy in the user documentation. The methodology involves focus,

analysis, development, and execution elements. In this context, Davies (2000) indicates that

the process presents an opportunity for improvement in that there is no actual issue identified

due to errors. The advancement through the methodology would ensure a possibility of

turning around time for the documentation to engage a right-first-time strategy. The focus on

the issue and analysis would enable creating a new documentation process, and its execution

would ensure error-free operation.

C. A rental car agency is getting numerous complaints about the length of time

customers to have to wait to obtain a car. They need to get a better handle on the factors

that relate to the wait time.

The rental car agency can use the Deming Cycle, also referred to as the PDSA cycle,

in improving the wait time. The concept focuses on panning, doing, checking, and acting

concepts, making the process management approach effective in addressing issues such as the

wait time (Henshall, 2020). The reason that would make the tool useful for the agency

involves the possibility of investigating the issues behind the wait time. In this context, the

device would enable the agency to collect information such as timeframe, consumer numbers

visiting, cars rented, and staff's availability as the possible causes of the wait time. Such

could enable planning for a corrective action approach and then implement it to address the

situation (Henshall, 2020). Besides, the agency can also benefit from developing distinct
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techniques for improving wait time through the usage of a creative problem-solving element.

Such is to ensure the agency understands the emerging issue, access factors about its

occurrence, and develop ideas for fixing it as a problem. The implementation process can

then follow upon having the idea of how the agency can move forward.

G. A travel agency is interested in gaining a better understanding of how call volume

varies by time of year in order to adjust staffing schedules.

The travel agency can use the DMAIC approach in gaining a better understanding of

the strategies to consider in having more control and understand the adjustment of staffing

schedules. The process would help first enable the agency to define and measure variance in

call volume through data collection (Smetkowska & Mrugalska, 2018). Such would involve

focusing on the calls received, agents involved, and call time. The case can extend to an

analysis of the variance in peak times and the staffing schedule's involvement. Besides, it is

fundamental to look into the staff schedules in specific days given that personnel handle

workload differently, thereby influencing call volume variance (Smetkowska & Mrugalska,

2018). Having the best agents in this context implies no need for getting more agents.

However, days, where the agency lacks the best agents may necessitate the scheduling of

more employees. The data analysis then opens an opportunity for experimenting on distinct

schedules. Upon coming up with the practical actions that meet their set objectives, the

agency can then consider a continuance with monitoring of outcome (Smetkowska &

Mrugalska, 2018). Such is to ensure it can control data by understanding the variance in call

volume and the role of the staffing schedule.

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References

Davies, E. (2000). A quality improvement project in diabetes patient education during

hospitalization. Diabetes Spectrum, 13(4), 234.

Evans, J. R., & Lindsay, W. M. (2017). Managing for quality and performance excellence

(10th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage.

Henshall, A. (2020). How to use the Deming Cycle for continuous quality improvement.

Retrieved from https://www.process.st/deming-cycle/

Smetkowska, M. & Mrugalska, B. (2018). using six Sigma DMAIC to improve the quality of

the production process: A case study. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,

238(1), 590-596.