The Improving Healthcare Monograph Series 3, Supporting Approaches and Tools was released to the public on December 1, 2020. This monograph shares a cross-section of data gathering, analysis, and reporting approaches that a healthcare organization can use in conjunction with its quality management system (QMS). Although the applications presented Monograph 3 do not represent an exhaustive list, they demonstrate how selecting and applying appropriate approaches and tools is instrumental for managing the QMS on a daily basis and ensuring that reliable information that can be interpreted properly is readily available when decisions are made.

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Monograph 1, A Hospital-Based Healthcare Quality Management System Model[1] was released to organizations across the globe in April 2016. This first monograph in The Improving Healthcare Monograph series was developed by a team of practitioners from the ASQ Healthcare Quality and Improvement Committee, who represent the Society’s Healthcare and Quality Management Divisions.

The model provides a conceptual framework for CEOs, CMOS, and others who seek to improve patient outcomes, safety, and satisfaction, as well as profitability, cost savings, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

The formalized QMS shared in Monograph 1 documents the structure, responsibility, and procedures required to achieve effective quality management focused on the quality policy and quality objectives that can meet customer requirements. It specifically describes the process for improving all aspects of patient outcomes and operating performance.

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Monograph 2, Quality Management System Assessment, presents the rationale for self-assessment and provides a standardized questionnaire and process that can be used based on the maturity level of the organization’s current QMS. By conducting this self-assessment, organizations can identify the strengths and opportunities for improvement associated with their existing systems.

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The expert panel that created the original QMS model has developed these approaches and tools as presented in this Monograph 3 of the Healthcare Series. The approaches and tools are shared with supporting instructions in formats that can be used off-the-shelf and applied immediately.

Each of the three Monographs are available for free download on either the ASQ Quality Management or Healthcare Division MyASQ.org websites.

[1] T. Motschman, C. Bales, L. Timmerman, G. L. Duffy, P. Story, and G. Gurican, A Hospital-Based Healthcare Quality Management System Model, ASQ Healthcare Technical Committee, https://my.asq.org/communities/files/181.