Implement a TQM System

The Health care system in the U.S. in 2014 customarily scrambles to characterize better methods for delivering cost cutting solutions. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), sometimes referred to as Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI), is a process of creating an environment in which management and workers strive to create constantly improving quality. Implementing a fully functional total quality management (TQM) system can be time consuming and cost your organization massive funding. Reports, with findings based on improvement efforts, are issued periodically to personnel throughout the agency and provide information useful for improving programs and practice. CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT TEAM ROLES ARE AS FOLLOWS: • Chair/Facilitator - facilitates Continuous Quality Improvement meetings, champions the Continuous Quality Improvement process and coordinates input and feedback to staff. • Scribe - takes detailed meeting minutes, schedules meeting room. • Member - participates in review of issues referred to the Continuous Quality Improvement team; provides feedback to peers, stakeholders and consumers. Planning and implementing a total quality management system requires dedication from the entire team and levelheadedness enough to acknowledge that there isn’t a cure all for every type of situation. “The strategy of building performance quality policy is based on the commitment and involvement of management, identifying legislative requirements, customer requirements (stakeholders), as well as increased staff empowerment and involvement.” (PARASCHIVESCU, A. O., & CĂPRIOARĂ, F. M. (2014) Realistically, a truly functional (TQM) system is not exactly a cookie cutter situation and remains a work in progress (WIP). Some familiarity may exist between organizations when being compared; however each organization posses its own DNA, as it were, make-up, culture, business ethic and practices, thus creating unique opportunities for vast improvements individually. “Recent research shows that about 90% of buyers in the international market consider quality as having at least equal importance with price in making the decision to purchase.” (Cătălin, S. H., Bogdan, B., & Dimitrie, G. R. (2014) There are many advantages to implementing a TQM than disadvantages and are as follows: a. Process improvement b. Defect prevention c. Priority of effort d. Developing cause-effect relationships e. Measuring system capacity F. Developing improvement checklist and check forms G. Helping teams make better decisions H. Developing operational definitions I. Separating trivial from significant needs J. Observing behavior changes over a period of time Secondly, total quality management (TQM) works by measurement: finding the right criteria to assess and track quality levels. “However, recent quality researchers have found contradictory performance evidence highlighting that the success of TQM might depend on various contextual factors.” Wiengarten, F., Fynes, B., Cheng, E. T., & Chavez, R. (2013). In addition, quality in health care is often measured by health outcomes and patient satisfaction that are found in surveys and other feedback from patients. There are three basic concepts to TQM: a focus on customers, continuous improvement and learning, and participation and teamwork by all employees. Implementing a TQM is a step-by-step process and is as follows: a. Top management learns about and decides to commit to TQM. TQM is identified as one of the organization’s strategies. b. The organization assesses current culture, customer satisfaction, and quality management systems. c. Top management identifies core values and principles to be used, and communicates them. d. A TQM master plan is developed on the basis of steps 1, 2, and 3. e. The organization identifies and prioritizes customer demands and aligns product and services to meet those demands. f. Management maps the critical processes through which the organization meets its customer’s needs. g. Management oversees the formation of teams for process improvement efforts. h. The momentum of the TQM effort is managed by the steering committee. i. Managers contribute individually to the effort through providing planning, training, coaching, or other method. j. Daily process management and standardization take place. k. Progress is evaluated and the plan is revised as needed. l. Constant employee awareness and feedback on status are provided and a reward/recognition process is established. Health care organizations in the U.S. are anxiously implementing quality improvement programs to further meet and attempt to exceed patient demands of improving service and clinical quality in health care. “TQM practices have been principally studied in organizations of larger size, but little has been investigated in relation to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), as they present inimitable challenges to quality management due to their diverse features.” (Kaur, P., & Sharma, S. K. (2014) The implementation process requires spending substantial time, effort, and money in order to master and appreciate a TQM. There are five strategies in developing a TQM and are as follows: 1. The TQM element approach a. The TQM element approach takes key business processes and/or organizational units and uses the tools of TQM to foster improvements. This method was widely used in the early 1980s as companies tried to implement parts of TQM as they learned them. b. Examples of this approach include quality circles, statistical process control, Taguchi methods, and quality function deployment. 2. The guru approach a. The guru approach uses the teachings and writings of one or more of the leading quality thinkers as a guide against which to determine where the organization has deficiencies. Then, the organization makes appropriate changes to remedy those deficiencies. b. For example, managers might study Deming’s 14 point or attend the Crosby College. They would then work on implementing the approach learned. 3. The organization model approach a. In this approach, individuals or teams visit organization that have taken a leadership role in TQM and determine their processes and reasons for success. They then integrate these ideas with their on ideas to develop an organization model adapted for their specific organization. b. This method was used widely in the late 1980s and is exemplified by the initial recipients of the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award. 4. The Japanese total quality approach a. Organizations using the Japanese total quality approach examine the detailed implementation techniques and strategies employed by Deming Prize –winning companies and use this experience to develop a long-range master plan for in-house use. b. This approach was used by Florida Power and Light – among others – to implement TQM and to compete for and win the Deming Prize. 5. The award criteria approach a. When using this model, an organization uses the criteria of a quality award, for example, the Deming Prize, the European Quality Award, or the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, to identify areas for improvement. Under this approach, TQM implementation focuses on meeting specific award criteria. b. Although some argue that his is not an appropriate use fo award criteria, some organizations do use this approach and it can result in improvement. In conclusion, according to the Journal of Transnational Management, “TQM primarily focuses on the production of quality goods and services and the delivery of excellent customer service; however, its success increases when it is extended to the entire company.” TQM has a quantitative character; it emphasizes measuring outcomes to gauge quality levels. Implementing a TQM involves embracing change and revolves around the following: a. Commitment by Senior Management and all employees b. Effective strategy, vision, mission and goals c. Customer/ Supplier relationships d. Communication e. Tools and techniques for improvement f. Team work g. Systems to facilitate improvement h. and most of all TRUST The future of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in health care seems very tentative, on the grounds, that it only started receiving recognition here of late, and went on for decades or even generations being totally ignored, as it were. I would hope that just due attention and focus will bring direct resources to those broken deficiencies in the system. The lack of communicating impedes; point number one which is commitment by management. This causes the urgency and seriousness of CQI or TQM in health care to be dismissed somehow. This is problematic and directly opposes business strategic initiatives in quality and across the board. Recent attention of system fallacies and scandals has sown seeds in the U.S. population, causing even more skeptics. Again, in my opinion CQI is a work in progress like everything else in this world, imperfection is constant. Improvements have been accounted for and the relief to some I’m sure is stupendous, but the problem is colossal and will require many years of research and development. Proper implementation of TQM has significant positive potential in quality, customer service and internal and external customers’ satisfaction. Skillful leadership is manifested by improving the bottom line. Leadership and TQM, succors funds for future projects in quality service improvement initiatives and other strategic projects, as well. Meeting or exceeding customer and company projections and expectations is a result of control mechanisms in effect. There are a host of those involved in CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND ARE AS FOLLOWS: • Persons & families served • Employees, volunteers & consultants • Members of advisory boards • Consumer advocates • All levels of agency staff References 1. Cătălin, S. H., Bogdan, B., & Dimitrie, G. R. (2014). THE EXISTING BARRIERS IN IMPLEMENTING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT. Annals Of The University Of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 23(1), 1234-1240. 2. Kaur, P., & Sharma, S. K. (2014). Evaluating the Relationship and Influence of Critical Success Factors of TQM on Business Performance: Evidence from SMEs of Manufacturing Sector. IUP Journal Of Operations Management, 13(4), 17-30. 3. PARASCHIVESCU, A. O., & CĂPRIOARĂ, F. M. (2014). Strategic Quality Management. Economy Transdisciplinarity Cognition, 17(1), 19-27. 4. Selim Zaim, Nizamettin Bayyurt, Ali Turkyilmaz, Nihat Solakoglu & Halil Zaim (2008): Measuring and Evaluating Efficiency of Hospitals Through Total Quality Management, Journal of Transnational Management, 12:4, 77-97 5. Wiengarten, F., Fynes, B., Cheng, E. T., & Chavez, R. (2013). Taking an innovative approach to quality practices: exploring the importance of a company’s innovativeness on the success of TQM practices. International Journal Of Production Research, 51(10), 3055-3074. doi:10.1080/00207543.2012.752609