Medical errors--is total quality management for the battlefield desirable?

There has recently been a great deal of discussion in both the lay press as well as the medical press regarding the incidence of errors that occur during medical practice. There have been many discussions of how quality control measures from industry can be applied to the health care system. Indeed both civilian and "brick and mortar" military medical treatment facilities are adapting these techniques. It is important that we understand the principles behind Total Quality Management (TQM) as well as its techniques and limitations. TQM is based on limiting deviation from an accepted standard of practice. These principles may be as applicable to our military health care facilities in a field environment as they are to our fixed facilities, although the standards used for measurement may have to be modified to adapt to different constraints of environment and resources. TQM techniques can nonetheless be applied in virtually any facility to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for our soldiers.