Driving Innovation and Reducing Waste – Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, NC
Client: Defense Health Agency
Sailors, Marines, and civilian employees at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point bolstered their skill sets by completing a five-day Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Green Belt course at Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point delivered by NOVACES. The graduating class gained critical process improvement tools to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance quality of care within military healthcare settings.
CPI Deployment Challenges
The frequent rotations of service members present a significant challenge in sustaining Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) initiatives. Because Sailors and Marines often move to new stations or deploy, the knowledge they have gained on ongoing projects can leave with them. Beyond staffing rotations, there are competing operational demands. These demands often compress the window of time available for formal training, project planning, and data analysis.
Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point, like many military healthcare facilities, operates in a complex environment where patient safety, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency converge. Staff members routinely manage diverse care requirements, from basic preventive services to more specialized treatments. Coupled with the need to adhere to Navy Medicine standards and broader Department of Defense (DoD) guidelines, healthcare personnel must constantly update processes to remain compliant, safe, and effective.
Solutions Delivered
LSS Green Belt training equips personnel with structured, data-driven methods to systematically identify inefficiencies, analyze root causes, and implement practical solutions. Through the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) framework, newly trained Green Belts learn how to optimize workflows, reduce waste, and create measurable, sustainable improvements. Since Green Belts focus on smaller-scale projects, they can make an immediate impact on pressing issues—such as supply inventory management or patient throughput—without needing to overhaul entire systems at once.
Moreover, Green Belt-trained individuals become valuable CPI ambassadors. Under the guidance of NOVACES mentors, they collaborate on cross-functional teams and help institutionalize a culture of continuous improvement. By sharing a common methodology, these Green Belts can more effectively transfer knowledge and maintain project momentum even as service members rotate in and out. In a military setting, this consistent methodology is crucial to bridging gaps in personnel changes and ensuring healthcare quality remains a top priority.
Key Takeaways
Sustaining CPI in a Mobile Environment
Green Belt training helps mitigate the effects of high turnover by building a shared skill set and standardized approaches that carry over when personnel rotate.
Balancing Mission Demands
Despite competing priorities, structured methodologies like DMAIC ensure process improvements move forward and become part of everyday operations.
Elevating Patient Care Quality
Streamlined processes reduce wait times, waste, and errors—directly enhancing patient outcomes and satisfaction in a military healthcare context.
Fostering a Culture of Improvement
Green Belts serve as on-site champions, continuously driving small yet impactful changes that enhance efficiency, safety, and compliance.
Long-Term Sustainability and Readiness
Investing in Lean Six Sigma not only improves immediate workflows but also strengthens the organization’s capacity to handle new challenges and maintain readiness over time.