Statistical Process Control

Statistical Process Control (SPC) was developed to improve industrial manufacturing.
However, over time it has also come to be widely applied in the healthcare industry. In
healthcare settings, SPC is mainly used to improve performance through use of data. Here is a
look at some of the ways in which SPC improves performance in healthcare.
Statistical Process Control (SPC) can improve performance in many ways. One of them is
reducing medical errors. To achieve this data on medical errors in a medical facility is analyzed
to find out if it falls within common cause variation. If it does not, solutions are sought that
reduce the errors. SPC can also be used to increase efficiency in healthcare settings. For instance,
it can be used to improve turn around times of laboratories by analyzing data such as the time
taken to get results for each order (Benneyan, Lloyd, & Plsek, 2003). If the data falls outside
common cause variation, corrective measures are taken. Lastly, SPC can be used to improve
customer service in healthcare facilities (Benneyan, Lyod, & Plsek, 2003). Through analysis of
data such as waiting times and ability to see a specialist of their choice, a healthcare facility can
establish areas that require improvement and implement the improvement measures. Thus,
statistical process control can be used in multiple ways to improve performance in healthcare
settings.
A key component of SPC is control limits. They are used to determine whether a given
performance measure is within or outside normal variations. Data related to quality of various
aspects of a healthcare facility such as hospital acquired infections and patient satisfaction is
plotted on a graph (control charts) which has predetermined control limits. When data falls
within the control limits it shows that the medical facility is operating within expected quality

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standards (Raghunathan, Al-Najjar, & Snavely, 2011). Data falling outside the control limits is
an indication of poor quality of operations. Changes are, therefore, made to bring about
improved performance.

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References

Benneyan, J. C., Lloyd, R. C., & Plsek, P. E. (2003). Statistical process control as a tool for
research and healthcare improvement. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 12(6),
458–464.
Raghunathan, K., Al-Najjar, H., & Snavely, A. (2011). Control charts and control limits.
Anesthesia & Analgesia, 112(3), 736 –7.