Quality Improvement - Assignment Example

Quality Improvement of Affiliation: Quality Improvement Introduction Quality Improvement is an element of substantive importance, aimed towards enhancing patient’s experiences and results using organizational and industrial approach methods in taking systematic approaches and techniques in the improvement of quality (Besterfield, 2013). This is essentially an important aspect of consideration influencing the improvement of quality through analysis of an organization’s performance and the various aspects it addresses in order to make changes in the performance thresholds. With continuous actions, it is evident that health care services have the ability of bringing about substantive changes in the health status of a particular patient target group (Schonberger, 2008). It is based on this perspective that this paper discusses the different aspects attributed to quality improvement and an analysis of quality improvement story covering the seven steps involved in quality improvement. It is a critical aspect that for organizations to achieve a new level of performance, then there are various aspects that would have to change and provide evidence for quality improvement. Despite having different programs in Quality Improvement, substantive evident results in the incorporation of the four basic principles including focus on patients, focus on working as a team, focus on the use of data, and the aspect that Quality Improvement operate through the means of processes and systems (Schonberger, 2008). In order to understand Quality Improvement effectively, one has to have a substantive idea on what attributes Quality Improvement story. Quality Improvement story refers to a seven-step process and procedure on the various ways through which business processes can be improved. All the seven steps towards improvement of performances integrate each other, ensuring a collective way of performance towards the realization of a common goal (Ryan, 2000). In the first step, there is the selection of appropriate theme, which should ideally focus on the particular problem that requires solution of a particular opportunity that requires exploitation. However, the most crucial feature of the theme selection step is that it focuses mainly on the weaknesses of the whole process or program and the identification of the most appropriate ways through which they can be mitigated (Schonberger, 2008). The second step is the collection of data, which works to exploit the available opportunity or the identified problem. This step is also characterized by developing of a time schedule that which the whole process would follow. In the analysis of the theme step, there is the careful selection of the theme appropriate for study. The proper planning of a solution then follows this and implementation procedure in ensuring that quality is improved through the change of the manner of performances. A clear statement of the selected theme influences this aspect, as it is ideally the major area of focus in realizing change by improving quality through enhancing performance (Besterfield, 2013). On the fifth step which involves the evaluation of the various elements already done towards the realization of change and improvement of quality. This stage is ideally an orientation towards the weaknesses. This is then followed by the standardization process, which states the whole procedure as a problem and not a solution. This stage analyses the documentation made on the program by making any changes where necessary as well as establishment of the training programs of the personnel involved in enhancing performance (Ryan, 2000). The final step is that involved in reflecting the overall process, where results are analyzed in making a determination of whether the goals and objectives attributed to the influence of change have been realized (Schonberger, 2008). In each organization, there are usually various challenges that hinder the organization from reaching its goals and objectives. Despite the variations that each organization’s challenges and obstacles towards reaching their goals and objectives, however, the steps involved in mitigation of these challenges are usually the same. A critical aspect of substantive significance in reaching such goals is usually based on the influence that the organization is in a position to make in realizing the change and ensure success for the organization. Organizational influence is usually an important aspect towards realizing the organization’s goals and objectives by mitigating the obstacles and challenges posed (Besterfield, 2013). Apple is one such organization that has had problems with the quality of its computers in the past, which lack of appropriate mechanisms for mitigation. Despite, doing their best in the technology industry, Apple Inc. was not making it into the stiff competitive environment. Finding the appropriate solution to break into the market was the greatest challenge that Apple Inc. faced. In applying the QI seven steps towards quality improvement as shown below, Apple was able to make an establishment into the market and start realizing profits. First, the theme for the cause was identified as lack of appropriate skilled labor for the production purposes. In the initial instances, Apple conducted internal recruitment processes, with several instances of corrupt dealings reported, as discrimination was key during the selection process. Many competent and skilled individuals were rejected due to factors such as race, culture, gender, color among other factors, without considering their abilities in performing various tasks. After identification of lack of skilled and competent individuals as the greatest cause to the poor performance, appropriate research was conducted to gather substantive data on how the problem would be mitigated, by comparing the available options as the second step towards quality improvement (Schonberger, 2008). Through the generation of various constructive ideas that would work most appropriately towards providing solutions to the problem, two most definite ideas are identified. First is to involve an external organization to conduct the recruitment process on behalf of Apple Inc. or fire the corrupt employees conducting the internal recruitment process. In making a substantive decision that would be of the greatest benefit for the organization, stakeholders as well as the customers would involve making a strategic decision by the management. After consultations, it was realized that the most effective solution towards the selection of qualified and skilled personnel, based on merit rather than certain discriminate affiliations would be to involve an independent organization to conduct the process through outsourcing. By this particular approach, it was evident that Apple had cover two basic steps in Quality Improvement that is both the idea generation and solution development (Schonberger, 2008). One critical aspect of substantive importance during the solution development in the case of Apple Inc. is to identify the most appropriate organization that would implement the developed solution without posing any other challenges in the process. In moving onto the next step, which involves the implementation of the developed plan, Apple Inc. had to first lay off all the employees suspected to have been hired through discriminatory means. This would therefore, provide an opportunity for the entry of new, competent, and skilled individuals selected based on merit other the eliminating others based on certain discriminatory means. The implementation plan then followed by establishing acquiring an independent organization to carry out the recruitment process of the new employees without any bias and favors in the process, and instead selecting individuals based on their merit. By such a process, Apple Inc. was able to recruit the most qualified individuals in enhancing performance within the organization and hence increasing the organization’s profitability. In the last step of Quality Improvement, one usually done to determine whether the particular solution developed actually works is the follow up step. Success of a solution is only determined when the particular problem for which the solution was developed is mitigated. In Apple’s case, the main obstacle towards realizing its goals was that it used to produce products of sub-standard quality, an aspect contributed to by the fact that the organization used to recruit unqualified individuals. Such individuals lack the appropriate technical knowhow on producing computers of high quality and those that would solve the problem of the consumers, thereby increasing demand for the same. Evidently, in a period of five months, after the recruitment of employees skilled towards the particular job descriptions they were required to perform, Apple Inc. was able to make double sales and increased profits as an attribute to improved quality, signifying that indeed the process was a success in improving quality for Apple Inc. References Besterfield, D. H. (2013). Quality improvement (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Ryan, T. P. (2000). Statistical methods for quality improvement (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley. Schonberger, R. (2008). Best practices in lean six sigma process improvement: a deeper look. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons. Read More