Quality Management
Introduction
Edward Deming is an American scholar who believes that knowledge is derived from the outside system and can only be helpful if it is invited and received with enthusiasm in order to improve and learn. Deming asserted that the journey of an individual from the established style of management to quality needs the systems understanding. This system consists of interconnected components, and quality refers to the performance of the component optimization relevant to the objectives of the system. In addition, quality involves systematic procedure because one has to first establish the objectives of the system such as the mission, vision, and steadiness of the objectives of the system. Deming claims that if there is no aim, then there is no system or identity to determine the procedure, components, and the components’ interrelationships within the system. The quality often takes place when the objective is clearly presented. The individuals are educated and trained by the system to do their task well and are provided with the appropriate methods and tools. The individuals must work cooperatively to implement, plan, and measure procedures to attain the objective of the aim (Berry, n.d).
Application of the Quality Theory
The quality theory illustrates the 14 points of Edward Deming. In this regard, the writer will be reflecting on the three presentations of Northern Westchester Hospital through the lens of Edward Deming’s 14 points.
The consistency of purpose refers to the objective of the system to maintain competitiveness in proving products and services. The consistency of purpose is proven by the Northern Westchester Hospital through its provision of the highest quality healthcare to the patients within the supportive setting of society and through the use of up-to- date facilities. Furthermore, the Northern Westchester Hospital’s mission and vision emphasizes the term quality in attaining their main objective. The NWH adopted a new policy, which is quality healthcare. This would enable NWH to become the leader in patient-centered care. The third point is to cease dependence on mass inspections in order to improve the quality of the system. In this point, the employees or workers are responsible for attaining the objective. According to Deming, if the company or institution will inspect the workers, then the procedure of the company is not well implemented and designed. The Northern Westchester Hospital employs the best nurses, doctors, and other personnel in order to provide the highest quality of healthcare services.
The fourth point is to end the practice of awarding business based on the price tag alone. The organization must align incentives and establish long term relationship with the other organizations such as the Northwell Health, North Shore LIJ, Patient-Centered Hospital, and American Nurses Credentialing Center. NWH employs workers that will provide services that are aligned with the main objective of the organization and also with the incentive, which is to become the leading organization in patient-centered care. The fifth point is to improve the production and service system constantly and forever. The organization must establish a culture where everyone can always seek ways to improve the system of products and services and also provide the workers with resources that will improve the system of service within the organization. The Northern Western Hospital process of finding their ways to continuously improve the system is through process and culture. Culture is where the process exists, and the process is where in the job gets done.
The sixth point is establishing training on the job. NWH provides internships for
the students who are taking medical courses. The seventh point is improving leadership where the employers must provide the necessary resources and help the workers and machines perform their jobs well. The role of the CEO of the NWH is to make sure that the mission and vision is maintained by the employees and to help the workers of the hospital through training and education, processes, methods, and metrics.
The 8th point is to drive out fear in order for the employers and employees to work efficiently. NWH is attempting to achieve integration through the processes driven by the workers. The ninth point is to break down barriers between the departments within the organization by analyzing the focus of the department versus the focus of the process. NWH replaces the structure of the traditional management (involves hierarchy and turf) with a focus on teamwork, the customers, and streamlined processes that are incorporated through compensation, measurement of performance, and leadership. The tenth point is to eliminate the slogan and targets for the labor force that are asking for new productivity levels and zero defects.
The eleventh point is to eliminate the standard of work because it could result to unexpected consequences; hence, NWH implements fundamentals such as establishing the structure of governance, determining the scope of the project, communicating to the wider organization, teaching redesign techniques and methods, and setting up teams. Another point is to omit the barriers that will rob the workers of the pride they take in the quality of their work. NWH calculated the time of the workers rather than practicing hourly employee phenomenon. Another point is to create a dynamic educational program, which would allow NWH to provide training for incoming workers and to considering the education of the employee in order to ensure that the main objective of the organization can be achieved. The last is to place everyone in the organization in a position where they can work to achieve the transformation where quality is recognized as a priority by everyone. NWH ensures that everyone is completely aware of their priority in order to achieve the goal of NWH.
References
Berry, B. (n.d). There is a Relationship Between Systems Thinking and W. Edwards Deming’s
Theory of Profound Knowledge [PDF Document]. Retrieved from Berrywood Group
website: http://www.berrywood.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/demingpaper.pdf
