Is Total Quality Management/Continous Quality Improvement or Quality Assurance Applicable in Health Services?

摘要

Abstract. Health services provide many services which entail technology and interpersonal processes. Manufacturingudis not so involved in interpersonal processes. The health care labour force has characteristics which influence theudorganizational culture. One major characteristic is the domination of physicians who are decision makers in termsudof medical care. The workforce in health care organisation, hospital, for example are multidisciplinary, such asudgeneral practitioners, nurses, therapists, pharmacists ,specialists, administrators, finance officers and managers, while inudmanufacturing workforce is likely to be homogenous. The goal of health services is not necessarily to gain profit; theudmost important is to increase peoples health status, so that quality is more focused on accessibility, affordability, andudappropriateness. However, industry is likely to have homogenous processes and the goal is to gain profit. Therefore,udhealth services may require special consideration in implementing quality management tools. It may adjust the principleudof TQM/CQI/QA in order to conform to health services characteristics.