Quality Improvement is Free
The point of a quality improvement program should not only be to improve a
product or the delivery of healthcare but it should also be to save time and money by reducing or eliminating waste or errors. For example, a doctor or nurse practitioner writes a prescription. We wouldn't deliver some of the best quality pills along with a few randomly chosen pills and we wouldn't completely incorrectly fill the prescription. To do either could create serious consequences. Rather, we want to only deliver the best quality. But there is another side to not achieving the best quality. If we incorrectly fill the prescription, even if there is no patient harm, there
is waste. Once the error is found, the prescription must be refilled and paperwork redone. Wasted time and money for the healthcare provider! Quality projects build processes that prevent errors and waste. In fact, the main goal
of lean healthcare is to eliminate waste in a structured approach. The Japanese use
the term kaisen event. They use this idea to eliminate waste in any environment,
whether manufacturing or service orientated. Quality projects that I have done have always resulted in avoidance of waste and
thus a savings in time and cost. Almost all projects I have read about in journals
present the savings of cost and time. Hence, if you are involved in a quality project
you need to calculate the costs in time and money of accomplishing a process as it
currently exists and then do the same for the "quality improved" process. There
should be a substantial savings of both time and money. After all, time is money. To make the required analysis I suggest that one of the project team members be
your cost accountant or chief financial officer. Doing so will improve the accuracy of
calculations of savings. Plus, you will impress upon one of the leaders of your
healthcare unit the importance of continuing quality projects. In fact, your project
team will probably be lauded for their achievement. Finally, in totaling the costs of a project, don't forget to factor in the costs of the
team in time and money. Count the costs of materials used, the pays of all involved
and the time spent by all on the project. If the project is well executed and planned,
you should realize a substantial cost/benefit ratio. That is, the costs of executing
the project should be a fraction of the realized savings. Calculating this ratio speaks
the language of upper management and directors and produces positive benefits,
such as the demand for more of such projects. You will be able to aptly demonstrate
that "Quality is Free." Overall, as demonstrated, quality improvement projects should not only deliver a
superior product but also should demonstrate the savings in time and money. Doing
so ensures the continuance of quality improvement at a site, which will produce
superior products with little waste. Donald Bryant helps healthcare providers meet their challenges. If you liked
this article and want more free tips, visit
http://www.bryantsstatisticalconsulting.com for a free article to help you start
making improvements at your site immediately.
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