TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN GREEK HOSPITALS: THE CASE OF AN OPERATION THEATRE

Maravgaki Evaggelia1,Polyzos Nicholas2

1. Nurse, Msc in “Health Management”

2.Associate Professor, T.E.I. of Kalamata

ABSTRACT

The conditions formulated during the past few decades in the global economy demanded the adaptation of the businesses in facts that have one common element: the quality.

There is an imperative need for the integrated quality system to be applied to the health services as well, with a special focus in hospitals. A very important characteristic of this sector is the social dimension of the services provided. It is commonly accepted that the quality in health services, does not pertain only to the medical work, but to the totality of health services and healthcare and yet to all the dimensions of their services. Quality may refer to two different levels:

  • The macro-level (such as the health system as a whole, in the hospital sector, primary health care).
  • The micro-level (such as in a medical intervention, surgical intervention etc.).

The results of a recent research were illustrative and compared the actual care provided to a sample of around 6,700 patients, with the care that they should receive if there was faithful implementation of the relevant directives and the respective performance/quality ratios were faithfully implemented. Thesepatientsreceivedalmosthalf (54,9%) oftherecommended care.

In order to fully understand the TQM parameters in the key, yet extraordinary area of the operating theatre it is essential to explore in detail and in depth both the nature of TQM and the potential to implement a total quality system in a large GreekHospital, with all its – more or less known – functional problems. Only then and once we apprehend the Surgical Sector’s organisational structures, it will be feasible to feel the brass tacks of the Total Quality Management in the Operating Theatre.

Index words: Total quality management, Operating Theatre, Procedures, Certification, Accreditation, Hospital, Satisfaction, Quality, ISO.