The administrative and clinical rationale for the total organization approach to continuous quality improvement

In our view TQM and CQI represent important innovations in the continuing effort to develop higher performance organizations. Never before has the need been so great to improve quality while at the same time constraining, or reducing, costs. An increasing number of health care organizations can document their experiences that as quality goes up, costs can come down. The contribution of these new approaches is in some sense the wedding of many long established methodologies--the scientific method, statistical quality control, planning, joint problem solving, participative management, and empowerment of the work force. While this recognition could lend support to those who label this new model a fad, that perception denies the linkage of TQM/CQI to the greater stream of innovations pushing us toward ever-greater organizational excellence. Can we not take the philosophy and methods that are potentially useful and try them experimentally? Let our empirical tests tell us of their contribution. We believe the concepts and procedures of TQM/CQI will help us to be better in years to come, even though we highly respect our starting point.