Author: Dr. Bret E. Trusko, Carolyn Pexton, Dr. H. James Harrington and Praveen Gupta

Publisher: Financial Times Press (Upper Saddle River, NJ)

ISBN: 0-13-174171-3

Improving Healthcare Quality and Cost with Six Sigma is, as the title suggests, an applications-based, hardbound book with a retail price of $59.99 (US). Thirteen chapters follow the foreword and introduction, and are organized into four parts. The fifth part contains appendices, followed by an index.

Just as healthcare cost containment has been an industry targeted for applications for TQM (total quality management), benchmarking, BSc (balanced scorecard), ABC (activity based costing), and ABM (activity based management), it only seems reasonable that this same industry would be one of the first targeted for application of Six Sigma. As is the case with all of these techniques, the objective is to achieve greater efficiency and the ever-increasing costs of healthcare and the aging of the population in the U.S. makes the development of an applications-based book on Six Sigma for the healthcare industry a no-brainer. The very first chapter of the book makes this very point.

I have reviewed several, generic books on Six Sigma and would recommend this book for anyone at the supervisory level, or above, in the healthcare or related industries. A basic or introductory level education in undergraduate statistics would be preferable, as those without this coursework or equivalent experience or background may have to supplement this book and/or achieve some minimal level of maturity in basic statistics to maximize the benefit they are likely to receive from a first reading.

This book is well-written and well-organized and, as the title suggests, designed specifically for the health care professional. I recommend it for this group and those involved in consulting for or considering entry into the healthcare industry.

The above review was contributed by: Anthony (A.J.) Cataldo II Ph.D    Professor of Accounting, West Chester University. Dr. Cataldo holds a PhD from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , MAc ( University of Arizona)  unofficial minor in Marketing , BSBA  (University of Arizona). He is a Certified Management Accountant and a Certified Public Accountant:  Click Here to view Anthony's Reviews 

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