A TQM evaluation framework for hospitals: Observations from a study

Aims to offer a generic tool to evaluate the health of TQM programmes in hospitals. The developed TQM evaluation tool includes ten management dimensions and eight control and implementation dimensions. To test the validity of the tool and also to obtain a cross-sectional overview of the status of TQM implementation in hospitals it is used to evaluate the TQM programme in six mid-western US hospitals. The study was carried out over a period of one year by groups of executive MBA students. Uses a detailed questionnaire to interview three to four personnel directly involved with TQM planning and implementation in these hospitals. Validates this evaluation framework and offers insights into the status of TQM implementation in hospitals. Suggests that TQM efforts have been successful in the support functions; however, in the patient care activities implementation has been minimal. Most importantly, physician involvement in this effort has been very low in the hospitals studied. To remain competitive within the current reimbursement practices, hospitals should move their TQM efforts into patient care activities, and find ways to involve physicians in this process. Efforts should be directed towards educating physicians/nurses, reducing common causes of variation in patient care, and the development of cost of quality data.