Quality Management in a Lean Health Care Environment

Chapter 4

Conclusion

A quality management strategy for an organization that is seeking to or has already implemented a continuous improvement program must include respect for people, a transparent and open culture, employee empowerment, and actively engaged leaders. These are the elements that build an organization that values people, and when an organization puts the highest value on people, then quality efforts can focus on improving outcomes for people. There are more ­tangible and measurable components and tools that accompany a lean quality management system, such as root cause analyses, improvement slips, checklists, and observations. What cannot be stressed enough is that to unlock high-quality health care outcomes for patients and for ...