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Implementation of total quality management: conventional wisdom versus reality
H Boerstler1, R W Foster, E J O'Connor
1Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Colorado, Denver 80217, USA.
Hospital & Health Services Administration
|July 1, 1996
Summary
Hospitals are adopting continuous quality improvement (CQI) to enhance patient care and efficiency. However, empirical evidence on CQI implementation in healthcare remains limited, necessitating further research.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Quality Improvement Science
Background:
- Hospitals nationwide are increasingly implementing continuous quality improvement (CQI).
- The adoption of CQI is driven by expectations of improved patient care, satisfaction, employee morale, and cost-effectiveness.
- There is a recognized need for empirical validation of these expected benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current state of empirical studies on CQI implementation in healthcare settings.
- To identify gaps in the existing research regarding the effectiveness of CQI.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of empirical studies on CQI in hospitals.
- Analysis of existing research to assess the extent of empirical investigation.
Main Results:
- Few empirical studies have investigated CQI implementation efforts in healthcare to date.
- The existing research does not fully substantiate the widely held beliefs about CQI's benefits.
Conclusions:
- The widespread adoption of CQI in hospitals is not yet supported by extensive empirical evidence.
- Further rigorous research is required to validate the impact of CQI on healthcare outcomes.
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