Is your organization ready for total quality management?
The evolution to a Total Quality Management (TQM) or Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) philosophy is particularly attractive in the health care industry in its search for better ways of doing business to ensure financial survival in the current competitive environment. This article, however, suggests that some organizations may not benefit from attempting to implement methodology to achieve the widely accepted financial and operational benefits, not because of any weakness in the conceptual framework, but because of the culture and/or lack of dedicated resources required to ensure the acceptance and success of the approach. As a result, many providers are discovering that after a few years of implementation, benefits to the organization are not being recognized to the extent possible. Specific issues that have been identified as essential requirements to a successful implementation process or evolution to a continuous improvement culture are described in this article.
Barrett
M J
MJ
Ernst & Young, Phoenix, AZ 85004.
D006282:Health Personnel; D007256:Information Systems; D007318:Inservice Training; D015274:Interdepartmental Relations; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*