Background: The Fundaci’n Santa Fe de Bogota University Hospital is a private high-complexity institution with 205 beds. Since its foundation in Bogot’ in 1983, the hospital has been recognized for its commitment to safety, innovation and the search for excellence in all its processes, and it was awarded accreditation by the Joint Commission International.

Objectives: The Six Sigma improvement tool was implemented in 2003. With its structured problem-solving approach and the zero-error goal, it has had a positive impact on patient safety through different project implementations.

Methods: At present, we run our own independent training process and there are already 488 green belts, 41 black belts and 4 master black belts. Our portfolio of projects consists of 88 projects, 57% of which focus on patient safety.

Results: Examples of projects on patient safety: 1. Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in critical care units, 2007-2010: preventive measures were standardized and effective controls were put in place, improving from Sigma levels 1.7 to 2.5. 2. Optimization of the blood transfusion process, 2007-2010: improvement by means of process standardization and the implementation of controls translated into a Sigma level improvement from 4.0 to 4.7.

Conclusions: Because of their extreme variability, healthcare processes are a great opportunity for improvement. The Six Sigma training and project development methodology support patient safety culture and help create open minds. Six Sigma has taught us that well-chosen projects, well-integrated teams and a committed leader are the keys to success. Six Sigma strengthens teamwork and the search for excellence in patient safety.