Module 5 - Chapter 4 - Quality Concepts

Key indicators such as patient experience, medication errors, infection rates, cost of poor quality, waste, errors in administrative departments, unplanned breakdowns, and first-time pass rate should be displayed and discussed in Performance-Driven Teams.

A management approach that prioritizes building a culture where quality is valued and prioritized at all levels.

Management commitment and involvement are crucial for building a quality-focused workplace. It requires dedication from the leadership team.

Empowering employees to think and act with a focus on quality in every task they perform.

Addressing quality issues at their source rather than relying solely on quality control checks later in the process.

The practice of making quality checks and improvements throughout the production process, not just at the end.

Visual management boards are used to display key indicators, track progress, and promote transparency in a quality-focused workplace.

Focusing on preventing quality issues before they arise is a proactive approach that ensures high-quality outcomes.

The concept that those directly involved in a process are best equipped to ensure its quality.

A structured, documented guide outlining the best practices for a specific process, ensuring consistency and quality.

The process of regularly reviewing and updating SOPs to reflect changes in practices, information, or technology.

The practice of allowing individuals directly involved in a process to monitor its quality, empowering them to make improvements.

The process of incorporating improvements and changes into SOPs to maintain their effectiveness and relevancy.

The act of updating an SOP to incorporate a change or improvement that has been implemented.

A key principle in SOP development, ensuring the method outlined is the most effective known at the time.

The involvement of both technical specialists and operational specialists in developing SOPs, ensuring accurate and practical guidelines.

Preventing quality issues before they occur is significantly more cost-effective than detecting and fixing them after they arise.

Quality control is a separate function from quality improvement. It's used to ensure that products or services meet specified standards but doesn't address root causes of quality problems.

Building quality into processes involves empowering teams to proactively improve quality by identifying and addressing root causes of problems, implementing mistake-proofing measures, enhancing process capabilities, and taking swift corrective actions.

Performance-driven teams have autonomy to manage all aspects of quality, which means they have the necessary skills, knowledge, and authority to make decisions without relying on external approval.

The ideal scenario is to inspect every task, as this allows for early detection and correction of any issues. However, it is not always feasible due to resource constraints.

In situations where complex quality judgments are necessary, it is often best to involve the next process or client in the decision-making process.

Providing immediate feedback upon identifying non-conformances helps ensure timely corrective actions and prevents escalation of quality problems.

A formal, written document detailing how to complete a task, including steps, key points, quality checks, and training requirements.

Ensuring that all team members understand the critical aspects of a task to meet quality standards.

SOPs can be used to train new employees and refine the skills of existing team members.

SOPs can be used to monitor individual and team performance by providing a baseline for comparison.

SOPs establish a baseline for the current best process, ensuring everyone follows the same approach.

SOPs can be used as documentation for audits, demonstrating compliance and adherence to processes.

A report filed when a client expresses dissatisfaction with a product or service.

A report filed when a product or service deviates from established standards or specifications.

A written record of a deviation from set standards or requirements.

A structured process for identifying and addressing the underlying causes of problems.

A visual tool to identify and organize potential causes of a problem.

A set of actions taken to correct a non-conformance and prevent its recurrence.

A structured plan detailing the steps to address a non-conformance, including timelines and responsibilities.

Regularly tracking and analyzing NCRs and CCRs to identify trends and areas for improvement.

A system for collecting, analyzing, and responding to customer feedback.

A system for managing quality issues, complaints, and non-conformances.

The time it takes to identify a quality problem.

The time it takes to fix a quality problem.

A technique used to prevent mistakes from happening.

A mistake that gets detected and doesn't reach the customer.

A mistake that reaches the customer.

A technique used to prevent defects by eliminating the possibility of making a mistake.

The process of carrying out an inspection on your own work to identify and correct errors before moving on.