Acknowledgments

Dr. Brett E. Trusko: I would like to acknowledge all my clients and professional contacts—too numerous to mention, but each and every one critically important.

Carolyn Pexton: While we cannot possibly list everyone who has played a role in bringing Six Sigma to healthcare, the authors would like to gratefully acknowledge some of the many practitioners and pioneers who have generously offered their expertise, leadership, and commitment to excellence along the way:

Frank Alvarez, Heather Anderson, Jay Anderson, Sandra Bacon, Elaine Banzhaf, Kathleen Bradley, Jason Broad, Jean Cherry, Alan Cooper, Mary Reich Cooper, Mary Cramer, Edward Craven, Glenn Crotty, Chuck DeBusk, Tom Decker, Chris Desmarais, John Desmarais, John DeVries, Maureen Donahue, Adrienne Elberfeld, Shari Eschete, Barbara Feldman, Glenn Fosdick, Kathleen Gallo, Andy Ganti, Cindy Garza, Tomas Gonzalez, Bonnie Gorges, Dave Green, Ben Hahlen, Roger Hoerl, Blake Hubbard, David Ingraham, John Kalb, David Keefe, Joe Kent, Eleanor Killam, Tracy Kirkconnell, Janice Kishner, Matthew Krathwohl, Beth Lanham, Jason Lebsack, Lisa Lopez, Karen Matijak, Jack McDaniel, Susan McGann, Mara Migliazza, Ben Miles, Donald Miller, Rich Miller, Bev Moncy, Charlie Morris, Robert Morrow, Carol Mullin, Nan Nelson, Gary Norman, Nick Nauman, Monte Parker, Shauna Pearce, Frank Pietrantoni, Nancy Pratt, Darcy Prejeant, Irma Pye, Art Rangel, Lou Rhodes, Nancy Riebling, Nancy Roberts, Heath Rushing, Deborah L. Smith, Sondra Smith, Todd Sperl, Jim Springfield, Rich Stahl, Greg Stock, Hylton Surrett, Carolyn Sweetapple, Jim Swindler, Michael Toomey, Barbara Truskoski, James Tucci, Kevin Tuttle, Mary Ellen Uphoff, Mark Van Kooy, Matiana Vela, Jennifer Volland, Lory Wallach, Scott Ward, Marie Weissman, David Yarbro, Lois Yingling, Deborah P. Young, Michael Zia, Robert Zisman.

Special thanks to Chuck DeBusk for taking his valuable time to review and provide feedback during the content development process. Thanks also to Mike Cyger, president of iSixSigma, for establishing a special networking and education portal for Six Sigma and Lean practitioners in healthcare (www.healthcare.isixsigma.com).

Dr. H. James Harrington: I would like thank Dr. Tom McNellis for his insight into the use of Six Sigma in the healthcare operations and thank Candy Rogers for typing the manuscript and proofreading the many drafts.

Praveen Gupta: Thanks to my coauthors for memorable teamwork, family members for support, and colleagues and friends for ideas. I would like to especially acknowledge my in-laws—Mummy, Papa, Alka, Seema, Navita, and Arun—for their unquestionable support that encourages me to pursue my interests in writing, including this one. My heartfelt thanks go to my wife, Archana, for instilling healthy habits in our family. The best healthcare begins at home.

Thanks also to the team at Pearson for their guidance and support throughout the project: Jim Boyd, Amy Neidlinger, Amy Fandrei, Alan Clements, Lori Lyons, Lisa Thibault, Nonie Ratcliff, and Linda Seifert.