Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40606217›Full record

ArticleHealth services insights2025

Six Sigma Applied to Healthcare: A Global Scientometrics Analysis of Health Services Quality Improvement Research.

Yorjanis Galván-Pérez, Matilde Herrera-Polo, David A Hernández-Páez, Dionicio Neira Rodado, Katherinne Salas-Navarro, Alba Marina Rueda-Olivella, Tulia Beltrán-Venegas, Ivan David Lozada-Martinez, Patricia Delgado

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health services insights, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yorjanis Galván-PérezUniversidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
Matilde Herrera-PoloUniversidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
David A Hernández-PáezCenter for Meta-Research and Scientometrics in Biomedical Sciences, Barranquilla, Colombia.
Dionicio Neira RodadoDepartment of Productivity and Innovation, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
Katherinne Salas-NavarroDepartment of Productivity and Innovation, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
Alba Marina Rueda-OlivellaUniversidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
Tulia Beltrán-VenegasUniversidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
Ivan David Lozada-MartinezBiomedical Scientometrics and Evidence-Based Research Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia.
Patricia DelgadoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua, Managua, Nicaragua.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1255-757X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aim: To provide a comprehensive scientometrics analysis of Six Sigma research in healthcare, a field gaining momentum due to its capacity to address missed improvement opportunities and inefficient cost-control strategies across global health systems. Design: A cross-sectional mixed-methods study combining quantitative research and health metrics with thematic content analysis to explore trends and research patterns. Methods: The study analyzed publications indexed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, and KCI, using thematic mapping techniques through term co-occurrence networks and cluster analysis. Also, correlation analysis with healthcare quality indicators and global health metrics were executed. Results: A total of 883 publications were analyzed. (1) Geographical analysis showed 70.8% from high-income countries and 0.7% from low-income countries. (2) Thematic clusters were centered on hospital applications and patient safety. (3) Temporal trends revealed an increasing focus on "big data" and "health innovation." (4) Strong correlations were found between publication output and health/research expenditure ( Conclusions: Findings provide a roadmap for aligning global research priorities and highlight the need for inclusive strategies that build research capacity and foster context-sensitive applications of Six Sigma in healthcare.

Indexed as

bibliometricsmeta-researchpublicationsquality of health caretotal quality management

Identifiers

PMID40606217
PMCPMC12214308

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.