Quality Improvement is Free

The point of a quality improvement program should not only be to improve a product or the delivery of healthcare but it should also be to save time and money by reducing or eliminating waste or errors. For example, a doctor or nurse practitioner writes a prescription. We wouldn't deliver some of the best quality pills along with a few randomly chosen pills and we wouldn't completely incorrectly fill the prescription. To do either could create serious consequences. Rather, we want to only deliver the best quality. But there is another side to not achieving the best quality. If we incorrectly fill the prescription, even if there is no patient harm, there is waste. Once the error is found, the prescription must be refilled and paperwork redone. Wasted time and money for the healthcare provider!

Quality projects build processes that prevent errors and waste. In fact, the main goal of lean healthcare is to eliminate waste in a structured approach. The Japanese use the term kaisen event. They use this idea to eliminate waste in any environment, whether manufacturing or service orientated.

Quality projects that I have done have always resulted in avoidance of waste and thus a savings in time and cost. Almost all projects I have read about in journals present the savings of cost and time. Hence, if you are involved in a quality project you need to calculate the costs in time and money of accomplishing a process as it currently exists and then do the same for the "quality improved" process. There should be a substantial savings of both time and money. After all, time is money.

To make the required analysis I suggest that one of the project team members be your cost accountant or chief financial officer. Doing so will improve the accuracy of calculations of savings. Plus, you will impress upon one of the leaders of your healthcare unit the importance of continuing quality projects. In fact, your project team will probably be lauded for their achievement.

Finally, in totaling the costs of a project, don't forget to factor in the costs of the team in time and money. Count the costs of materials used, the pays of all involved and the time spent by all on the project. If the project is well executed and planned, you should realize a substantial cost/benefit ratio. That is, the costs of executing the project should be a fraction of the realized savings. Calculating this ratio speaks the language of upper management and directors and produces positive benefits, such as the demand for more of such projects. You will be able to aptly demonstrate that "Quality is Free."

Overall, as demonstrated, quality improvement projects should not only deliver a superior product but also should demonstrate the savings in time and money. Doing so ensures the continuance of quality improvement at a site, which will produce superior products with little waste.

Donald Bryant helps healthcare providers meet their challenges. If you liked this article and want more free tips, visit http://www.bryantsstatisticalconsulting.com for a free article to help you start making improvements at your site immediately.

---

Keeping Meetings On Track

We all have been in meetings with certain people who... Read More

Knowledge Management - Learning Whilst Doing - Facilitating an After Action Review

Introducing a learning culture into organisations can be difficult at... Read More

How to Prepare for Your Companys Financial Future

Sooner or later, most business owners need to look for... Read More

30 Ways to be a Butt-Head Boss

1. Trust no one. Not your superiors and not your... Read More

Year 2010: Permanent Employees No Longer Required

Jack Welch joined a conference that was held in Duke... Read More

Employee Orientation: Get New Hires Off To a Great Start

The good news is that a new hire orientation program... Read More

Transparency: A Key To Your Effectiveness

Last month I talked about the Skilled Facilitator principle of... Read More

Group Meeting Disrupters

MEETING DISRUPTERS: If two participants are carrying on a personal... Read More

The Comfort Zone

The Comfort Zone I... Read More

Leadership: Stoking The Success Train

Everyone wants to succeed yet everyone has a different perception... Read More

People Are Our Most Important Asset!

How many times have you heard or uttered this phrase... Read More

Finding Common Ground Through Consensus Decision-Making

It's clear to me that a workplace is a better... Read More

Management to the Vision-Contribution and the Role of Compliance

As a manager our role is to:1. Establish the vision,... Read More

Leaders Versus Cheerleaders

Everyone wants to describe themselves as a leader. Everyday, new... Read More

Managing Motivation

"Without the chance to meaningfully participate in steering one's own... Read More

Summertime Blues

It's hard to believe the year will be half over... Read More

How To Decrease Profits Without Really Trying

Hurting your sales efforts can be accomplished easily with the... Read More

New UK Laws on Staff Dispute Resolution and Disciplinary Procedures

October 2004 saw the introduction of the Employment Act 2002,... Read More

The Power of ?Ask?

For Call Center managers, it is not a pipe dream... Read More

The Do?s and Don?ts of Giving Feedback

Being able to give effective feedback is not just a... Read More

Communicating Effectively In The Workplace: Four Vital Steps

Ineffective communication is a major, yet avoidable, obstacle to business... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Become An Effective Executive

In his book, The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker pointed out... Read More

Focus and Shoot

One of my earliest childhood memories is watching Lew Alcindor... Read More

Mantra for Managers

What do organizations look for in a prospective employee with... Read More

Managing Dickheads

"We are so different and individualistic that we can't work... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Dont Leave Your Key Stakeholders Guessing

Communicate! Don't leave you key stakeholders guessing.We are generally not... Read More

Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a Genius

Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a... Read More

Organisation Tips For The Mobile Executive

Despite the fact that everyone sighs "How glamorous!", the life... Read More

Five Essential Hiring Practices

Recruiting and hiring are often done in haste, leaving the... Read More

How to Hold Effective Staff Meetings

Many people believe that they conduct effective meetings, when all... Read More

The Measurement of Manager Training

THE MEASUREMENT OF TRAINING: Evaluation is one of the most... Read More

Innovation Management ? the Root of the Problem

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

How to Manage Your People Well: Tips for Managers of Training

As a training manager, there are two important aspects to... Read More