Statistical process control: a practical application for hospitals.

A six-step plan based on using statistics was designed to improve quality in the central processing and distribution department of a 223-bed hospital in Oakland, CA. This article describes how the plan was implemented sequentially, starting with the crucial first step of obtaining administrative support. The QI project succeeded in overcoming beginners' fear of statistics and in training both managers and staff to use inspection checklists, Pareto charts, cause-and-effect diagrams, and control charts. The best outcome of the program was the increased commitment to quality improvement by the members of the department.