PhD theses and projects

Benjamin Kemper (2011)
Process Flow Improvement in Services and Healthcare

Marit Schoonhoven (2011)
Estimation Methods for Statistical Process Control

Muhammed Riaz (2008)
Improved and Robust Monitoring in Statistical Process Control.

Henk de Koning (2007)
Scientific Grounding of Lean Six Sigma's Methodology.

Jaap van den Heuvel (2007)
The Effectiveness of ISO 9001 and Six Sigma in Healthcare.

Thijs Vermaat (2006)
Statistical Process Control in Non-Standard Situations.

Frank van der Meulen (2005)
Statistical Estimation for Levy driven OU-processes and Brownian Semimartingales.

Wessel van Wieringen (2003)
Statistical Models for the Precision of Categorical Measurement Systems.

Jeroen de Mast (2002)
Quality Improvement from the Viewpoint of Statistical Method.

Roxana Ion (2001)
Nonparametric Statistical Process Control.

Albert Trip (2000)
Statistical Process Control in Practice: Let's make it better.

Werner Schippers (2000)
Structure and Applicability of Quality Tools.

Jaap Wieringa (1999)
Statistical Process Control for Serially Correlated Data.

Freek Huele (1998)
Statistical Robust Design.

Kit Roes (1995)
Shewhart-type charts in Statistical Process Control.

PhD projects

PhD project Tashi Erdmann
Tashi researches the models that are used for describing measurement uncertainty in measurement systems analysis (MSA). Measurement systems analysis tries to answer the question to what extent measurement values differ from the true value of the measured quantity. Deviating measurement values can be caused by a systematic measurement error (lack of accuracy): does the average measurement value differ from the true value of the measured quantity? Accuracy is often easily improved, for example by calibrating the measurement device. In addition, deviating measurements can also be caused by random measurement error (lack of precision): how large is the variation in the measurement values if identical objects are measured? Two components of precision are repeatability and reproducibility of measurements. Repeatability is the extent to which measurement values are equal if measurements are repeated by the same appraiser, and reproducibility is the extent to which measurement values are equal if measurements are done by different appraisers. In the first part of his research project, Tashi will compare the different models that exist for analysing the measurement uncertainty of binary classifications. Afterwards, several other topics will be researched, such as models for destructive measurements and models for measuring categorical variables.

PhD project Gerard Niemeijer (Traumatology department, UMCG)
In healthcare, but also outside healthcare, Lean Six Sigma is a proven method for improving quality by efficiency improvement of processes. UMCG started with Lean Six Sigma in 2007. Since 2008, the traumatology deparment is activily involved in Lean Six Sigma projects, to improve quality and processes. The main subject of the PhD research is: "Lean Six Sigma binnen een Universitair Medisch Centrum". Initially, processes within the surgical/traumatology department are looked at. Subjects are:

1. To optimize processes within the traumatology department, by using Lean Six Sigma;
2. The use/possibilities of LSS methods with healthcare;
3. Evaluation of LSS projects in UMCG.

The main question for Gerard's research is: "What is the effect of LSS on the processes (patients, logistics, costs) of the traumatology department of the Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen".
In literature we can find experiences with Lean Six Sigma in healthcare, but they only describe individual problems, and not the problems of an entire organisation. Important question is whether research for an entire organisation has additional value. Also, it is interesting to learn which parts of the LSS methodology work for healthcare and which don't.

PhD projects Pakistani students (Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad)
The common subject for their theses research is control charts, and is supervised by Professor Does.
Nasir Abbas' research concentrates on improving EWMA and CUSUM control charts, which already resulted in the publication of three articles.
Hafiz Zafar Nazir will focus on robust and distribution free control charts.
Rashid Mehmood has two subjects: Bayesian control charts and expansion  of signaling rules for control charts.
Dr. M. Riaz, who is presently working for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics of the King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, will act as co-promotor