Mini course · Intermediate level
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt for Healthcare
Reduce delays, defects and variation with the proven DMAIC method, adapted for hospitals and clinics.
What is Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt for Healthcare?
Lean Six Sigma combines Lean's focus on removing waste with Six Sigma's focus on reducing variation and defects. Its DMAIC roadmap (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control) gives teams a disciplined way to solve complex process problems. This Yellow Belt-level course introduces each phase with healthcare examples such as laboratory turnaround time and discharge delays, along with the core tools: project charters, SIPOC, process maps, Pareto charts, cause-and-effect analysis, mistake-proofing and control plans.
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Lessons
- 5
- Level
- Intermediate
- Format
- Online, self-paced
What you'll be able to do
- Describe the purpose of each DMAIC phase
- Write a project charter with a clear problem statement and scope
- Create a SIPOC and process map for a described process
- Use a Pareto chart to prioritise causes
- Apply mistake-proofing to a described process step
- Develop a control plan to sustain improvement
Who this course is for
Course content
5 lessons · 39 activities · 2 hours total · free preview available
1Introduction to Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare
6 minFree previewLean Six Sigma Foundations & DMAIC
Introduction to Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare
An introduction to Lean Six Sigma and its role in improving healthcare quality, patient safety, operational efficiency, and patient experience. Healthcare examples: long outpatient waiting times; repeated laboratory specimen collection; medication administrati…
2Understanding the DMAIC Improvement Roadmap
6 minLean Six Sigma Foundations & DMAIC
Understanding the DMAIC Improvement Roadmap
Available after you enroll.
3Identify the Waste
3 minLean Six Sigma Foundations & DMAIC
Identify the Waste
Available after you enroll.
4Module 1 Knowledge Check
2 minLean Six Sigma Foundations & DMAIC
Module 1 Knowledge Check
Available after you enroll.
5Identifying and Defining Healthcare Problems
6 minDEFINE: Selecting and Scoping Improvement Projects
Identifying and Defining Healthcare Problems
Available after you enroll.
6Building a Project Charter
6 minDEFINE: Selecting and Scoping Improvement Projects
Building a Project Charter
Available after you enroll.
7SIPOC: Understanding the Healthcare Process
6 minDEFINE: Selecting and Scoping Improvement Projects
SIPOC: Understanding the Healthcare Process
Available after you enroll.
8Build Your SIPOC
3 minDEFINE: Selecting and Scoping Improvement Projects
Build Your SIPOC
Available after you enroll.
9Template: Healthcare Project Charter Template
DEFINE: Selecting and Scoping Improvement Projects
Template: Healthcare Project Charter Template
Available after you enroll.
10Template: SIPOC Worksheet
DEFINE: Selecting and Scoping Improvement Projects
Template: SIPOC Worksheet
Available after you enroll.
11Project Step 1 — DEFINE: Problem Statement and Charter
3 minDEFINE: Selecting and Scoping Improvement Projects
Project Step 1 — DEFINE: Problem Statement and Charter
Available after you enroll.
12Module 2 Knowledge Check
2 minDEFINE: Selecting and Scoping Improvement Projects
Module 2 Knowledge Check
Available after you enroll.
13Measuring Healthcare Process Performance
6 minMEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Measuring Healthcare Process Performance
Available after you enroll.
14Process Mapping and Identifying Bottlenecks
6 minMEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Process Mapping and Identifying Bottlenecks
Available after you enroll.
15Root Cause Analysis: Pareto, Fishbone & 5 Whys
6 minMEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Root Cause Analysis: Pareto, Fishbone & 5 Whys
Available after you enroll.
16Analyse the Laboratory Delay
3 minMEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Analyse the Laboratory Delay
Available after you enroll.
17Template: Healthcare KPI Data Collection Sheet
MEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Template: Healthcare KPI Data Collection Sheet
Available after you enroll.
18Template: Process Mapping Template
MEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Template: Process Mapping Template
Available after you enroll.
19Template: Pareto Analysis Worksheet
MEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Template: Pareto Analysis Worksheet
Available after you enroll.
20Template: Fishbone Diagram Template
MEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Template: Fishbone Diagram Template
Available after you enroll.
21Template: 5 Whys Worksheet
MEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Template: 5 Whys Worksheet
Available after you enroll.
22Project Step 2 — MEASURE: Baseline KPIs and Data Collection Plan
2 minMEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Project Step 2 — MEASURE: Baseline KPIs and Data Collection Plan
Available after you enroll.
23Project Step 3 — ANALYSE: Process Map, Pareto and Possible Root Causes
3 minMEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Project Step 3 — ANALYSE: Process Map, Pareto and Possible Root Causes
Available after you enroll.
24Module 3 Knowledge Check
3 minMEASURE & ANALYSE: Understanding Process Performance
Module 3 Knowledge Check
Available after you enroll.
25Designing Healthcare Process Improvements
6 minIMPROVE: Designing and Testing Better Processes
Designing Healthcare Process Improvements
Available after you enroll.
26Poka-Yoke: Mistake-Proofing Healthcare Processes
6 minIMPROVE: Designing and Testing Better Processes
Poka-Yoke: Mistake-Proofing Healthcare Processes
Available after you enroll.
27Choose the Best Improvement
3 minIMPROVE: Designing and Testing Better Processes
Choose the Best Improvement
Available after you enroll.
28Template: Healthcare Improvement Action Plan Template
IMPROVE: Designing and Testing Better Processes
Template: Healthcare Improvement Action Plan Template
Available after you enroll.
29Project Step 4 — IMPROVE: Improvement and Mistake-Proofing
2 minIMPROVE: Designing and Testing Better Processes
Project Step 4 — IMPROVE: Improvement and Mistake-Proofing
Available after you enroll.
30Module 4 Knowledge Check
2 minIMPROVE: Designing and Testing Better Processes
Module 4 Knowledge Check
Available after you enroll.
31Developing a Healthcare Control Plan
6 minCONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Developing a Healthcare Control Plan
Available after you enroll.
32Monitoring Results and Sustaining Improvements
6 minCONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Monitoring Results and Sustaining Improvements
Available after you enroll.
33Create a Control Plan
3 minCONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Create a Control Plan
Available after you enroll.
34Template: Healthcare Control Plan Template
CONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Template: Healthcare Control Plan Template
Available after you enroll.
35Project Step 5 — CONTROL: Control Plan with Metrics, Owners and Escalation
3 minCONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Project Step 5 — CONTROL: Control Plan with Metrics, Owners and Escalation
Available after you enroll.
36Project Wrap-Up — Assemble and Self-Score Your DMAIC Worksheet
1 minCONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Project Wrap-Up — Assemble and Self-Score Your DMAIC Worksheet
Available after you enroll.
37Module 5 Knowledge Check
2 minCONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Module 5 Knowledge Check
Available after you enroll.
38Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt for Healthcare — Final Assessment
8 minCONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt for Healthcare — Final Assessment
Available after you enroll.
39Yellow Belt Course Complete
CONTROL: Sustaining Improvement Results
Yellow Belt Course Complete
Available after you enroll.
Earn a credential employers can check
Every AIHCM credential has a unique ID that anyone can verify online in seconds.
Issued: on completion
How it works
- Finish all 5 lessons at your own pace.
- Get your digital credential with a unique ID.
- Share it — employers can verify it at aihcm.us.
Questions people ask
Is this an official Yellow Belt certification?
There is no single global body for Lean Six Sigma belts. This course covers Yellow Belt-level content and awards an AIHCM credential; it is not a certification from another belt-awarding organisation.
Do I need statistics?
No advanced statistics are required. Yellow Belt tools use simple charts and counts.
How is this different from Quality Improvement in Practice?
That course uses the Model for Improvement and PDSA. This course uses the more structured DMAIC method for complex process problems.
Will I complete a project?
You work through a guided case project and can apply the templates to your own process.