LM&SS systems approach
| LM&SS practices that are part of the systems approach | Description (Cua et al., 2001; McKone et al., 2001; Zu et al., 2008) | Special aspects in a healthcare setting |
|---|---|---|
| Top management support | Top management accepts responsibility for quality, creates and communicates a vision focused on quality and encourages and participates in quality improvement efforts | Managers and physicians together form top management |
| Customer relationship | Customer needs and expectations are regularly surveyed. Customer satisfaction is measured. There is a close contact with key customers | Customers are not only patients, but also family members, caregivers, decision-makers and insurers |
| Quality information | Timely collected quality data are available to managers and employees, and must be used for improvement | Delivering care is a complex process. Collecting accurate and reliable information is a challenge |
| Focus on metrics | Quantitative metrics are used to measure process performance and quality performance, and set improvement goals. Business-level performance measures and customer expectations are integrated with process-level performance measures | |
| Process management | Statistical process control and preventive maintenance are applied. Managers and employees make efforts to maintain clean shop floors and meet schedules. There is an emphasis on mistake-proof process design | Safety and hygiene are crucial in a patient environment. A clean working environment and well maintained devices are a requirement |
| Structured improvement procedure | There is an emphasis on following a standardized procedure in planning and conducting improvement initiatives. Teams apply the appropriate quality management tools and techniques | Professionals are trained to act with autonomy. Too much emphasis on standardization could evoke resistance |
| Supplier relationship | A small number of suppliers are selected on the basis of quality and involved in product development and quality improvement. The organization provides suppliers with training and technical assistance | There are many areas of knowledge and practice. In general, each specialty has preference for certain suppliers and assortments |
| LM&SS practices that are part of the systems approach | Description ( | Special aspects in a healthcare setting |
|---|---|---|
| Top management support | Top management accepts responsibility for quality, creates and communicates a vision focused on quality and encourages and participates in quality improvement efforts | Managers and physicians together form top management |
| Customer relationship | Customer needs and expectations are regularly surveyed. Customer satisfaction is measured. There is a close contact with key customers | Customers are not only patients, but also family members, caregivers, decision-makers and insurers |
| Quality information | Timely collected quality data are available to managers and employees, and must be used for improvement | Delivering care is a complex process. Collecting accurate and reliable information is a challenge |
| Focus on metrics | Quantitative metrics are used to measure process performance and quality performance, and set improvement goals. Business-level performance measures and customer expectations are integrated with process-level performance measures | |
| Process management | Statistical process control and preventive maintenance are applied. Managers and employees make efforts to maintain clean shop floors and meet schedules. There is an emphasis on mistake-proof process design | Safety and hygiene are crucial in a patient environment. A clean working environment and well maintained devices are a requirement |
| Structured improvement procedure | There is an emphasis on following a standardized procedure in planning and conducting improvement initiatives. Teams apply the appropriate quality management tools and techniques | Professionals are trained to act with autonomy. Too much emphasis on standardization could evoke resistance |
| Supplier relationship | A small number of suppliers are selected on the basis of quality and involved in product development and quality improvement. The organization provides suppliers with training and technical assistance | There are many areas of knowledge and practice. In general, each specialty has preference for certain suppliers and assortments |