Statistical Process Control: A Systematic Review of Control Chart in Healthcare Applications

Abstract

Introduction: Statistical process control (SPC) charts are essential techniques to determine the root cause of mistakes, regardless of whether they come from unique or common factors. SPC charts in the medical field have become increasingly prevalent lately. Control charts are still a new concept to healthcare professionals, thus it's important to understand the difficulties involved in selecting and creating these charts for practical purposes.

Methods: The goals of this research are to provide a comprehensive review of the literature and give an example of the use and importance of SPC charts in the healthcare sector. Examining the suitability of articles obtained from various databases is the first step in this process, after which pertinent publications are screened and found.

Findings: 50 papers published between 2000 and 2024 were evaluated for title and abstract conformity out of an initial group of 300 articles. The four healthcare departments that make up the literature are pulmonary, epidemiology, surgery, and monitoring. Control charts were applied in seventeen different healthcare scenarios with twenty-one variables in various healthcare organizations. The bulk of the papers were published between 2011 and 2015, with a noticeable increase in volume following that year. As a result, commonly used control charts are P-charts, fuzzy charts, and CUSUM charts. This essay addresses the scope, assumptions, impacted factors, departments, nations, and limitations related to using control charts in various contexts.

Novelty and applications: This study presents the development and popularity of SPC charts since 2015 and offers an individual classification of their application in four healthcare departments. It presents fresh information for further investigation and application by providing a quantitative analysis of 50 experiments and outlining specific variables and outcomes affected by SPC processes. This comprehensive study adds a great deal to the body of information already in existence and provides insightful advice for using SPC charts in practice to improve quality control in the healthcare industry.