Work ethics,stay-at-home measures and COVID-19 diffusion

The European Journal of Health Economics - Non-pharmaceutical interventions aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 rely largely on voluntary compliance among the target population to be...     

Achieving measurable CQI results

A West Coast institution realized that patients receiving blood transfusions did not always have their data documented in accordance with hospital policy. By measuring compliance and communicating the results back to staff, the expected outcome was that compliance with the policy would increase. In addition, this study expected to determine whether the existing policy was effective in detecting transfusion reactions.     

Computer software for health care CQI

The transition from quality assurance to continuous quality improvement (CQI) demands a basic change from centralized to decentralized information management. In CQI, front-line staff can use personal computer (PC) software skills to manage, analyze, and act on process-related information. Information services departments play a key role in this transition by, among other things, selecting software that optimally supports the PC-based work carried out by CQI teams. A review of typical CQI team software requirements and of available PC software suggests that Microsoft Excel 4.0 is a nearly ideal software platform to support CQI teams.     

CQI by committee: a multidisciplinary approach

Developing a continuous quality improvement program in preparation for a JCAHO survey can be a perplexing and sometimes redundant talk, especially if you're trying to define and remedy a new problem with old tools. Here's how one laboratory found a fresh approach to CQI by finding out what other hospital departments thought of the laboratory's service.     

Quality, CQI, and reengineering in health services organizations

Quality in health care is defined with a focus on satisfying customer needs. The contemporary management philosophies of continuous quality improvement (CQI) and reengineering are defined; attributes and applications of each are described. Criticism of reengineering appearing in the literature is presented. It is likely that CQI will remain a predominate management philosophy in health services, while reengineering may not endure in its form of radical change.     

Averting CQI failure: five early warning signs

Many hospitals, disappointed with their quality programs, are starting to ask, "What went wrong?" This article identifies five early warning signs of failing programs--and what to do about them.     

The CEO experience. TQM/CQI.

The total quality movement is transforming hospital leadership. CEOs are finding that signing on to a TQM or CQI program requires intensive commitment, as well as adjustments to management style and scheduling. And it raises a host of questions about how to initiate and manage such a program--and even what to call it (TQM versus CQI). But CEOs seem ready to accept the challenge. An exclusive Hospitals survey finds that over 60 percent of the CEOs involved in TQM/CQI programs believe their involvement is "the most important thing I've ever done." Still, the proliferation of TQM/CQI in hospitals has created a backlash in the field; Donald Berwick, M.D., the "father" of TQM in health care, explains why.     

The impact of CQI on human resources management

If CQI is to become a mind-set and not simply a management fad, adjustments need to be made in all aspects of management, especially human resources management. This article will consider the impact of CQI on human resources philosophy and practice in health services organizations. The effects will be illustrated by the experiences of a group of human resources managers and the organizations in which they work.