(University at Buffalo: Buffalo, New York) -- A continuous improvement program developed at a Pennsylvania hospital in partnership with The Center for Industrial Effectiveness in the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has already saved the hospital $500,000 and earned the UB center the 2007 Award of Excellence in workforce development from the University Economic Development Association.

Benefits documented so far by Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, the state’s largest health care network, affect a broad range of operations at the hospital, from speedier CT scans for stroke patients, to faster turnaround of radiology reports, to quicker meal delivery.

"We never would have gone as far as we have without UB’s assistance," says Steve Osborn, vice president for quality compliance at Saint Vincent Health Center. "It’s pretty remarkable: In two years, we went from having no systematic lean Six Sigma program to having implemented 50 projects, in which we have either reached our goal or surpassed the halfway mark. Our organization is reaping financial benefits and our customers also feel it."

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