Lean Six Sigma, hospital effectiveness, and errors: an empirical analysis of patient safety mediation role in Jordanian hospitals

Purpose This paper investigates Lean Six Sigma initiatives, hospital effectiveness results, and hospital error sources, addressing the gap in the literature regarding the mediating role of patient safety results in Jordanian healthcare settings. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on data collected from 10 hospitals located in Amman, Jordan. Four hundred fifty hospital employees in managerial positions, including those in nursing, administration, quality management, and other areas, were given a survey questionnaire. Eighty percent of responses were received. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (Path analysis) on the AMOS version 21 software. Findings The research findings indicate that LSS significantly improves patient safety results and hospital effectiveness. Additionally, LSS is significantly associated with a reduction in hospital error sources in Jordanian hospitals. However, patient safety results were found to have no significant direct relationship with hospital error sources. Similarly, the results reveal that patient safety results partially mediate the relationship between LSS and hospital effectiveness. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to hospitals based in Amman, Jordan, and employed a non-probability sampling technique. Thus, the results may not be generalizable to other healthcare organizations, regions within Jordan, other countries, or different types of service organizations. Originality/value This study provides valuable insights for healthcare practitioners seeking to implement the LSS approach in hospital settings. It offers both theoretical and applied contributions to the thoughtfulness of LSS in hospitals. The findings demonstrate that LSS can be effectively applied across various hospital functions, resulting in quantifiable improvements in performance and safety.