Tools for Grantees: Quality Management Manual < Previous | Home | Next >  III. Step-By-Step Quality Management Guide: Nine Critical Steps   Establish Quality Management Team   •  Establish Quality Guidance Team, Steering Committee or utilize existing leadership meetings to oversee the QM program.    •  Develop an organizational QM plan that delineates goals and objectives for the QM program.    •  Establish QM priorities. Develop a time line or calendar of activities for the year.    •  Select a QM approach, such as PDSA or the Chronic Care Model. Clarify QM responsibilities of staff.

Establish Quality Guidance Team, Steering Committee or utilize existing leadership meetings to oversee the QM program. TOP

Once commitment to a quality management program has been confirmed, a formal process for overseeing the QM activities should be established. The way in which this is achieved will vary based on the size, structure, and unique characteristics of the organization. Many organizations have found it useful to convene a senior group of individuals to drive the QM activities in the form of a Quality Guidance Team, Quality Council or Steering Committee. In general, these are individuals with the expertise and authority to determine program priorities, support change, and if possible, allocate resources. The primary function of this group is to develop an organizational QM plan, establish QM priorities and monitor progress towards goal attainment. Within this group, a Committee Leader should be appointed and a Quality Advisor should be included. The Quality Advisor is an individual with expertise in the use of CQI tools and techniques. In some organizations, existing leadership meetings have been used to oversee the QM program. If this strategy is used, the status of QM activities should be a standing agenda item to ensure adequate attention is paid to the QM program. Depending on the size and structure of the organization and program, the Quality Guidance Team or Steering Committee may or may not be involved in specific CQI projects.

Develop an organizational QM plan that delineates goals and objectives for the QM program.[3]  TOP

One of the primary responsibilities of this group is to establish a quality management plan that outlines a coordinated approach for assessing quality and process improvement. The plan is designed to provide a systematic process for planning, designing, measuring, assessing, and improving performance. The plan should set realistic and challenging improvement goals, reflect resources provided and be shared with staff throughout the organization, including the Board of Directors.

The QM plan can be written by the leadership group or the leadership group can sanction the program's Quality Council or Steering Committee to create it. Some organizations have a separate quality improvement plan, others integrate quality activities into their strategic plan and some utilize both strategies. Regardless of which approach is used, QM plans should delineate specific goals and objectives for the QM program that are in line with the program’s mission, vision, and values.

	Establish QM priorities.  TOP
	Develop a time line or calendar of activities for the year.

The plan should establish QM priorities and outline a timeline or calendar of quality activities for the year. In addition, the QM responsibilities of staff should be clarified to ensure quality activities can be accomplished within the defined time frame. At a minimum, the QM plan should be reviewed on an annual basis.

	Select a QM approach, such as PDSA or the Chronic Care Model.  TOP
	Clarify QM responsibilities of staff.

A specific QM plan targeted to HIV services should be developed. If the HIV program is part of a larger institution that has an established QM plan, it should include portions of the HIV specific plan, i.e. indicators for measurement, identified opportunities for improvement. As part of the QM plan, the approach used to assess quality should be defined. Various approaches, such as Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA), can be used and are discussed in Step 7. Appendices A and B provide examples of a QM plan that can be adapted for your organization. Once the QM plan is established, it should be communicated with all program or organizational staff and the specific QM responsibilities delineated.

Notes

[3] A specific QM plan targeted to HIV services should be developed. If the HIV program is part of a larger institution that has an established QM plan, the QM plan should include portions of the HIV-specific plan. [ Return to Text ]