Class 5
Total Quality Management (TQM) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
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Total Quality Management (TQM)
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Total Quality Management (TQM) is a conceptual approach different from quality assurance (QA) and quality inspection - TQM calls for continuous and relentless improvement in the total process that provides care, not simply in the improved actions of individual professionals. Improvement is based on both outcome and process.
| "Why does it take one to two hours to get a discharged patient from the floor to the front door." - These managers knew there was a problem, but because they were not asked to solve the problem, they felt responsible only for their own functions, not a system, therefore the problem continued. |
Total Quality Management places primary emphasis for problem characterization on the system rather than the individual. The customer in TQM is not only the patient but also the many users of a department's output. For example, in a hospital setting, at an executive training program a group of midlevel managers were asked to consider issues such as "Why does it take one to two hours to get a discharged patient from the floor to the front door." These managers knew there was a problem, but because they were not asked to solve the problem, they felt responsible only for their own functions, not a system, therefore the problem continued. All healthcare providers will be held more accountable for their actions and need to be able to demonstrate quality and efficiency of care.
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Tools for improvement and to improve efficiency and outcome of care:
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TOOLS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Tools for improvement and to improve efficiency and outcome of care are:
Information sharing, education, feedback, and control
(1) identify what you are going to improve
(2) look at data
(3) build utilization profiles - where individual physicians could compare their performance to their peers
(4) share information and use group input to improve efficiencies of care
It is important to note that quality of care is considered the number one priority.
| Total Quality Management (TQM) calls for Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) |