What Six Sigma technique can a hospital executive use to understand varying patient discharge times before developing interventions?

The correct answer is process mapping. This technique allows hospital executives to visualize the entire patient discharge process, identifying each step involved and the involved stakeholders. By mapping out the process, executives can pinpoint specific stages where delays may be occurring and where variations in discharge times are present.

Understanding the flow of the discharge process is crucial for identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies that lead to varying discharge times. This visual representation not only helps in diagnosing current issues but also serves as a foundational tool for developing targeted interventions designed to streamline the discharge process.

Root cause analysis may help identify underlying issues once problems are recognized but won’t provide the overall view of the discharge process needed for initial understanding. Value stream mapping focuses more specifically on enhancing efficiency and reducing waste, which is more applicable after identifying problem areas. Statistical variance analysis, while useful for understanding the variability in discharge times quantitatively, does not offer the comprehensive perspective that process mapping provides in terms of steps and timing involved in the discharge process. Therefore, process mapping stands out as the most effective method for grasping the complexities of patient discharge times before any interventions are planned.