title: Applying Quality Function Deployment Model in Burn Unit Service Improvement.
abstract: Quality function deployment (QFD) is one of the most effective quality design tools. This study applies QFD technique to improve the quality of the burn unit services in Ghotbedin Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. First, the patients' expectations of burn unit services and their priorities were determined through Delphi method. Thereafter, burn unit service specifications were determined through Delphi method. Further, the relationships between the patients' expectations and service specifications and also the relationships between service specifications were determined through an expert group's opinion. Last, the final importance scores of service specifications were calculated through simple additive weighting method. The findings show that burn unit patients have 40 expectations in six different areas. These expectations are in 16 priority levels. Burn units also have 45 service specifications in six different areas. There are four-level relationships between the patients' expectations and service specifications and four-level relationships between service specifications. The most important burn unit service specifications have been identified in this study. The QFD model developed in the study can be a general guideline for QFD planners and executives.
authors.affiliation: From the *Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Republic of Iran; †Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran; and ‡Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keshtkaran
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Erfan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kharazmi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbasi
mesh_terms: D002053:Burn Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002056:Burns / Q000628:therapy*; D003697:Delphi Technique; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D058996:Quality Improvement