Total quality management in health care: taking stock

Total quality management (TQM) is gaining momentum in health care. The experiences of pioneering organizations provide insights into the hurdles that many organizations face in implementing TQM. Based on their observations of these pioneers, the authors conclude that there are six key success factors for TQM in health care. This article reviews the success factors, considers the common obstacles to achieving them, and looks at some of the future directions for TQM in health care.