Combating the military's escalating pharmacy costs: a lean Six Sigma approach

Abstract

The pharmacy operations of three military, Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF) were observed, to determine possible process improvements and cost saving mechanisms that may be achieved through Lean Six Sigma methodologies. After mapping the processes of each facility (one large, one medium, and one small) each was modeled and validated in order to forecast potential savings, increases in efficiency, and/or waste reduction while either maintaining or improving customer satisfaction (i.e., processing times). The research proved that Lean Six Sigma methodologies can be implemented within pharmacy operations, often at little or zero cost, while realizing significant savings and increased customer satisfaction.