Abstract
•Handle reasons causing the delay in communication between healthcare actors in a local hospital.•Focus on communication between surgeons and physicians.•Use of Six sigma principle to tackle principal causes of miscommunication.•Recommendation of using mobile devices and computer based applications.
This paper presents an innovative approach to detect the main reasons causing the delay in communication between healthcare actors in a local hospital, with a special focus on communication between surgeons and physicians. The research methodology consists of using quality tools based on Six sigma principles, as fishbone diagram to identify factors affecting the communication in the surgery department, and the XY matrix to highlight the most affecting factors on patient health in terms of delay in communication. In that purpose, many dysfunctions in information exchange were noticed between surgeons, physicians, nurses, etc. As a conclusion, the study recommends the use of secured smartphones applications to access patients’ records and the design of an architecture helping in reducing the current communication time for a faster service. This application aims also at securing communication between the major actors involved in the process of providing care. The use of computer applications will provide safe and efficient treatment for post-surgical patient and prevent/limit the complications after surgeries.