Factors influencing the quality of healthcare services in Indian hospitals: A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Quality management culture is still a novel concept which is slowly inculcating into the healthcare organizations across India. In order to induct quality management in India, the quality council established the National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Healthcare Providers (NABH). Those who are involved in providing healthcare should be well aware of the quality aspects and its importance to make sure that the patients receive the best quality care in an economical and efficient way. It is vital to keep track of the growing needs and requirements in terms of quality management and patient safety. Aim: This study aims to review and analyze the factors influencing quality management in the Indian healthcare organizations, to identify the research gap. Materials and Methods: The literature for the review was obtained from the “PubMed” and Google Scholar with Indian affiliation. The review covered the healthcare quality management studies from January 1998 till December 2018, which yielded 82 articles and the careful scrutiny reduced the number to 59. Findings & Conclusion: Several studies prevail on quality of healthcare management, but the various factors of quality management were not addressed fully. The major research gap was identified under the areas of planning & documentation, employee participation, policies & procedures, quality & patient safety, quality process and its outcome, perceived effect in quality improvement, training and development opportunities, and the future plans of quality management. This research gap illustrates that there exists a lacunae, which is to be filled through more studies, focusing the different quality aspects. Keywords: Quality, Healthcare services, hospitals, India, Systematic review.