The contribution of a person-centred model of Lean Six Sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvement
BackgroundA failure to distinguish between person-centredness, person-centred care, and person-centred cultures can result in improvement initiatives focusing solely on improvement initiative metrics and outcomes, excluding the authentic experiences of patients and staff. Building on the foundationa...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Health Services |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frhs.2025.1621233/full |
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| author | Seán Paul Teeling Seán Paul Teeling Seán Paul Teeling Deborah Baldie Deborah Baldie Ailish Daly Anne Marie Keown Aileen Igoe Ciara Dowling Martin McNamara |
| author_facet | Seán Paul Teeling Seán Paul Teeling Seán Paul Teeling Deborah Baldie Deborah Baldie Ailish Daly Anne Marie Keown Aileen Igoe Ciara Dowling Martin McNamara |
| author_sort | Seán Paul Teeling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundA failure to distinguish between person-centredness, person-centred care, and person-centred cultures can result in improvement initiatives focusing solely on improvement initiative metrics and outcomes, excluding the authentic experiences of patients and staff. Building on the foundational work of Dewing and McCormack, we have designed, piloted, and implemented the Person-centred Lean Six Sigma (PCLSS) model in public and private acute and community healthcare settings across Ireland. This model uses Lean Six Sigma, a widely adopted improvement methodology, through a person-centred lens with which improvement practitioners and healthcare staff can inspect their Lean Six Sigma practice and critically evaluate whether, to what extent, and how it is synergistic with person-centred approaches.AimThis paper explores the deployment of the PCLSS model across four clinical study sites and examines its alignment with McCance and McCormack's conceptual work on healthful cultures, evaluating its contribution to creating cultures that support sustainable improvement, compassion, and respect.MethodsThe PCLSS model was embedded within a university-accredited education programme for healthcare staff. The model was applied across four distinct healthcare settings in Ireland: a public acute teaching hospital, a private full-service acute hospital, an integrated ophthalmology service bridging hospital and community care, and a public rehabilitation hospital. A case study methodology was used to examine implementation and impact.ResultsAcross all four sites, the PCLSS model facilitated improvements in operational efficiency, staff and patient engagement, interprofessional collaboration, and reflective practice. The model supported leadership at all levels, fostered sustainable change, and successfully mapped onto key domains associated with healthful cultures, as articulated in the work of McCance and McCormack.ConclusionThe PCLSS model represents a sustainable, values-based approach to improvement that aligns operational excellence with person-centred principles. Its application contributes meaningfully to the development of healthful cultures in healthcare organisations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ed274a0787eb416d88f00678cd3b3336 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2813-0146 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Health Services |
| spelling | doaj-art-ed274a0787eb416d88f00678cd3b33362025-08-20T03:06:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Health Services2813-01462025-08-01510.3389/frhs.2025.16212331621233The contribution of a person-centred model of Lean Six Sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvementSeán Paul Teeling0Seán Paul Teeling1Seán Paul Teeling2Deborah Baldie3Deborah Baldie4Ailish Daly5Anne Marie Keown6Aileen Igoe7Ciara Dowling8Martin McNamara9UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education & Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, IrelandMater Transformation, Mater MisericordiaeUniversity Hospital, Dublin, IrelandCentre for Person-Centred Practice Research Division of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University Drive, Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh, United KingdomCentre for Person-Centred Practice Research Division of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University Drive, Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh, United KingdomResearch and Practice Development, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, ScotlandPatient Safety, Quality & Innovation, Beacon Hospital, Dublin, IrelandMater Transformation, Mater MisericordiaeUniversity Hospital, Dublin, IrelandMater Transformation, Mater MisericordiaeUniversity Hospital, Dublin, IrelandNursing Department, Incorporated Orthopaedic Hospital of Ireland, Dublin, IrelandUCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education & Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, IrelandBackgroundA failure to distinguish between person-centredness, person-centred care, and person-centred cultures can result in improvement initiatives focusing solely on improvement initiative metrics and outcomes, excluding the authentic experiences of patients and staff. Building on the foundational work of Dewing and McCormack, we have designed, piloted, and implemented the Person-centred Lean Six Sigma (PCLSS) model in public and private acute and community healthcare settings across Ireland. This model uses Lean Six Sigma, a widely adopted improvement methodology, through a person-centred lens with which improvement practitioners and healthcare staff can inspect their Lean Six Sigma practice and critically evaluate whether, to what extent, and how it is synergistic with person-centred approaches.AimThis paper explores the deployment of the PCLSS model across four clinical study sites and examines its alignment with McCance and McCormack's conceptual work on healthful cultures, evaluating its contribution to creating cultures that support sustainable improvement, compassion, and respect.MethodsThe PCLSS model was embedded within a university-accredited education programme for healthcare staff. The model was applied across four distinct healthcare settings in Ireland: a public acute teaching hospital, a private full-service acute hospital, an integrated ophthalmology service bridging hospital and community care, and a public rehabilitation hospital. A case study methodology was used to examine implementation and impact.ResultsAcross all four sites, the PCLSS model facilitated improvements in operational efficiency, staff and patient engagement, interprofessional collaboration, and reflective practice. The model supported leadership at all levels, fostered sustainable change, and successfully mapped onto key domains associated with healthful cultures, as articulated in the work of McCance and McCormack.ConclusionThe PCLSS model represents a sustainable, values-based approach to improvement that aligns operational excellence with person-centred principles. Its application contributes meaningfully to the development of healthful cultures in healthcare organisations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frhs.2025.1621233/fullLean Six Sigmaperson-centred carehealthful cultureshealthcare improvementsystems thinkingreflective practice |
| spellingShingle | Seán Paul Teeling Seán Paul Teeling Seán Paul Teeling Deborah Baldie Deborah Baldie Ailish Daly Anne Marie Keown Aileen Igoe Ciara Dowling Martin McNamara The contribution of a person-centred model of Lean Six Sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvement Frontiers in Health Services Lean Six Sigma person-centred care healthful cultures healthcare improvement systems thinking reflective practice |
| title | The contribution of a person-centred model of Lean Six Sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvement |
| title_full | The contribution of a person-centred model of Lean Six Sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvement |
| title_fullStr | The contribution of a person-centred model of Lean Six Sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvement |
| title_full_unstemmed | The contribution of a person-centred model of Lean Six Sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvement |
| title_short | The contribution of a person-centred model of Lean Six Sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvement |
| title_sort | contribution of a person centred model of lean six sigma to the development of a healthful culture of health systems improvement |
| topic | Lean Six Sigma person-centred care healthful cultures healthcare improvement systems thinking reflective practice |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frhs.2025.1621233/full |
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