Neurology is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of conditions and diseases related to the
nervous system consisting of the nerves, spinal cord and brain. Neurologists and neurosurgeons both
diagnose and treat conditions that involve the nervous system, but neurologists don't perform surgery.

There were 49,940 neurosurgeons worldwide according to a 2019 estimate.* We’ll look at applications
of Lean and Six Sigma in neurology and finish with a short video on what neurologists do.

*Source: https://codmansurgical.integralife.com/global-supply-of-neurosurgeons-challenges-around-
the-world/

Lean Six Sigma and Machine Learning in the Assessment of COVID-19 Impact in Neurology and Stroke Unit

In a paper titled “Machine Learning and Lean Six Sigma to Assess How COVID-19 Has Changed the
Patient Management of the Complex Operative Unit of Neurology and Stroke Unit: A Single Center
Study” authors Giovanni Improta, Anna Borrelli, and Maria Triassi discuss the analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the activities of the Complex Operative Unit (COU) of the Neurologyand Stroke Unit of the San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona University Hospital from a Lean Six Sigma perspective.

The paper includes:

  • Project Chart
  • SIPOC
  • Study Population Features
  • Pareto Diagram of Length of Stay
  • Pareto Diagram of Number of Hospital Admissions
  • Diagnosis Related Group Weight by Time
  • Run Chart of Length of Stay
  • New Proposal for COVID-19

The authors discuss how different machine learning models were evaluated for
classifying patients between the two identified classes. Click on the following line to access the paper.
https://tinyurl.com/yxhh83vr

Quality Improvement in a Neurosurgical Unit Using Lean Six Sigma

In an article titled “Delays in Discharge in Neuro-Oncology: Using a Lean Six Sigma-Inspired Approach to Identify Internal Causes” authors Karen Rezk and Catherine-Anne Miller discuss using Lean Six Sigma in a quality improvement project to identify internal delay causes for newly diagnosed patients in a neurosurgical unit.

According to the authors, “This QI project employed the first three phases of the DMAIC approach to
Lean Six Sigma and produced three main outcomes including qualitative interviews, the process map,
and the root cause analysis.”

You can read the article here.
https://canadianoncologynursingjournal.com/index.php/conj/article/view/697/666

Applying Lean Six Sigma to Improve Compliance for Preassessment of Brain Tumor Referrals

In a master’s thesis titled “Improving Compliance with a Novel Pre-Operative Assessment Pathway for
Neurosurgical Referrals” author Natasha Lynch discusses the use of Lean Six Sigma under the DMAIC
framework to improve compliance with the NeurO-PAS pathway for preassessment of urgent brain
tumor referrals.
The thesis includes:

  • Process Flow Map
  • Time From Referral to Transfer
  • Stakeholder Analysis
  • ‘NO NEED’ Duplicated Tests in Original vs Updated Forms
  • Cost Analysis on NeurO-PAS Patients over a 3-month Period
  • Swabs Duplicated in Original vs Updated Forms
  • Project Aim With Primary and Secondary Drivers Diagram
  • Fishbone Diagram for Duplication of Investigations

Proposed Improvement – Revised Process Flow Map

Click on the following link to download a copy of the thesis.
https://repository.rcsi.com/ndownloader/files/28518396/1

What do Neurologists Do?

Find out in this short video from University of Medical and Health Sciences.
You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQk-0yALVBA