 |
|
|
 |
Establish
support of program leadership for Quality Management (QM) and confirm
commitment. TOP |
In order for a QM
program to be successful, it requires support and “buy-in” from
the recognized leadership in the organization. These individuals drive
the organization’s quality activities in very tangible ways, most
importantly, by putting in place a structure to support the assessment
of, and improvement in, service provision and quality of care.
|
Commit
resources to support QM activities. TOP |
It is imperative
that the leaders of the organization commit to the concept of quality
management. The commitment and support of such a philosophy is embodied
not only in words, but also in the assignment of dedicated resources.
Specific QM responsibilities of staff should be delineated and dedicated
time for participation in QM activities secured. Such responsibilities
could include participation in Quality Teams, assistance with data collection,
testing of change, and disseminating results. Quality improvement responsibilities
should be included in all job descriptions. Every individual can play
a part in improving quality and a team of experts can help guide the process.
A successful program will also include time allocated for data analysis,
dissemination of results, and discussion of QM activities during staff
and other department meetings. Technical support, such as management information
systems, is another type of resource that is needed to implement a QM
program.
|
Provide
education about CQI tools and techniques to all levels of staff, including
senior leadership. TOP |
While many people
will want to naturally participate in a program aimed at improving care
and services, if they don’t have the tools to get the work done,
the goals will not be attained. A quality management plan serves as a
blueprint for the program and CQI tools and techniques serve as the hammers
and nails to build the individual improvement projects. Without these
tools, the blueprint will never result in a functioning program. Therefore,
it is important that all levels of staff, including senior leadership,
must have a solid understanding of quality management concepts and CQI
tools and techniques. Opportunities for education either provided in-house
or externally, should be made available to broaden the expertise and build
the internal capacity of the organization. As staff becomes experienced
in the use of CQI tools and techniques, they can become the mentors and
train a new generation of quality experts who can also become champions
of quality.
|
Establish
a method to inform all levels of staff, including senior leadership
and Board of Directors, about QM initiatives. TOP |
A formal mechanism
to inform all levels of staff, including senior leadership and Board of
Directors, about QM projects, activities, and results should be established.
By raising the visibility of the QM program, a culture surrounding quality
can begin to emerge.
|
Delineate
expectations of staff related to QM and delineate specific QM responsibilities.
TOP |
In some organizations,
HIV care is part of a larger system of care. When developing a quality
management program, a distinction between HIV program leadership and organizational
leadership should be made. Support for QM activities from leadership at
both levels should be confirmed and, to the extent possible, HIV QM activities
should be included as a component of the larger institutional QM plan.
HIV programs based in larger institutions can often benefit from QM systems
that have already been put into place, especially when QM activities are
mandated by other regulatory bodies, such as JCAHO. In some organizations,
HIV programs have spearheaded quality management initiatives and served
as models for quality improvement within their organizations.
|
