Implementation of quality programs in health care organizations

Abstract

Any organization’s efforts to achieve continuous quality improvements must involve applying various quality related programs and tools. Such efforts are important for improving quality of products and/or services and increasing business performance. It is especially important for health care organizations as quality of care and service is a top priority. The focus of this study is on the implementation of quality programs which are based on tools, awards criteria, or standards to improve quality of care in the health care industry. Two hundred fifty-four hospitals with more than 100 beds that have quality programs were used to collect data for this study. Two of the most widely used quality programs were quality control (61.8 %) and total quality management (60.6 %). As widely known quality programs have shown to play a role in improving quality of care in the global health care market, some hospitals implement a combination of various quality programs to get certification or an award that helps them enter the international market such as medical tourism.