Total Quality Management

Dr.Mohammed Alenezi
Medical Biochemist
Head of the Biochemistry unit, Farwania hospital-Kuwait

Outline:
Introduction and history Definitions: Quality, cost and TQM Principles of TQM Methodology to improve the work organization and the quality The five Q framework Conclusion

Introduction & History

The current pressure and demand from the laboratories and industries is to improve the quality of the work and at the same time to reduce the cost. For these two issues a process termed TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) have been implanted.

HISTORY
The total quality concept and the term total quality management was first introduced by Armand Feigenbaum in 1957, Total Quality Control. A number of widely recognized approaches to quality management followed. Some of the most famous names are Phillip Crosby, Joseph Juran and W. Edwards Deming. Crosby is known for his work on the cost implication of poor quality Quality is Free. Juran emphasised that quality is a continuous process and he introduced the pareto principle or 85/15 rule. W. Edwards Demings is known for his 14 points for quality improvement. He is often referred to as the father of quality control in Japan.

Definitions
Quality: conformance to the requirements of the users or customers and the satisfaction of their need and expectations. It is a continuous process, dynamic and need to be evaluated periodically.

Definitions
Cost: related to the quality! If quality improves, waste is reduced, which in turn reduces cost (Demings concept). Since quality means conformance to the requirements, quality costs is the cost of conformance and nonconformance. Costs of conformance: prevention and appraisal costs. Costs of nonconformance: internal and external failure costs.

Definitions
Total quality management (TQM): A management philosophy and approach that focus in the processes and their improvement as the means to satisfy customer needs and requirements. Other names: total quality control, total quality leadership, continues quality improvement, and quality management science.

Total quality management (TQM):

Principles: Customer focus Management commitment Training Process capability and control Measurement through quality imrovement tools.

W. Edwards Demings points:

Total quality management (TQM):

Since 85% of the problems are process problems (only 15% are employees), TQM Provides:

Management philosophy for organizational development.

Management process for improvement of quality.

Management philosophy for organizational development:

A system of processes in which the organization of the work will depend on the service or the view of the person who provide such service. Employees work divided into sections or lines of known function and responsibilities and the employees can identify and solve the problems in their own work process with the support of their manager. So it is a support rather than a command structure.

TQM: problem solving

1) Careful definition of the problem 2) Establishment of baseline measures of process performance 3) Identification of main causes of the problem 4) Identification of a solution for the problem 5) Verification that the solution actually works 6) Generalization of the solution for routine implementation of an improved process 7) Establishment of ongoing measures for process monitoring and control

Management process for improvement of quality

Laboratories must define their service goals, objectives, and quality requirements for process testing. Then apply the five Q framework: Quality improvement (QI): provide a structured problem solving process to help Identify the main causes of the problem and a solution for that problem. Quality planning (QP): help in generalizing the solution, establish measures for performance monitoring, ensure that the performance achieved satisfies quality requirements, and document the new quality laboratory process (QLP). Quality control (QC) and quality assessment (QA): to measure and monitor the new process. QP: planning, QLP: do, QC and QA: check, and QI: act.

Conclusion:
Total quality management, through different principles, can lead to a development of both work organization and quality management which will improve the quality and reduce the waste and the cost. For work organization, a clear system with identified responsibilities and power is needed. For quality management, there are different guidelines and methodology to improve the quality of the work which start by defining the goals, then plan & process, after that monitor the process, and then improvement of that process if needed.