write MCQ with answers more critical thinking questions: Implementing Process Improvement

Essentials for

implementation

Planning for

quality

improvement

Regardless of the technique used, continual improvement requires action from the

people within the organization. Some of the necessary steps are important management

roles, and others require the entire laboratory staff for success. These essential factors

and steps include what follows.

$$ Commitment from all levels of the laboratory staff. Improvement requires continual

awareness and activity. This is a full$-$time task, and requires dedicated staff time $.$

$$ Careful planning so that goals can be achieved. Before action plans are implemented,

there is much to consider: root causes of error; risk management; failures, potential

failures and $$near misses$$; costs, benefits and priorities; and the costs of inaction.

$$ An organizational structure that supports the improvement activities.

$$ Leadership$$Top management must be engaged and supportive.

$$ Participation and engagement of the people that normally perform the tasks being

addressed. These are the staff most likely to know and understand what is done on a

regular and daily basis, and without their participation, improvement programs have

little opportunity for lasting success.

When undertaking and implementing action plans for quality improvement, there are a

number of factors to consider.

$$ What are the root causes of error? In

order to correct errors it is important to

identify the root causes, or underlying

causes, of the problem.

$$ How will risk be managed in the

laboratory? Risk management takes into

account the trade$-$offs between the risk of

a problem, and the costs and effort

involved in fixing it$.$

$$ Failures, potential failures, and near$-$misses are categories into which laboratory

problems fall. Failures are most commonly identified, as a failure in the system will

usually be immediately obvious. Failures need to be addressed as a part of continual

improvement. However, a good process improvement program will try to identify

potential failures, which are not so obvious, as well as near$-$misses, those situations

where a failure has almost occurred.

$$ Any process improvement program must take into account the costs of making

changes, the benefits of making the changes, and the priorities for action. These

decisions relate to the concept of risk management.

$$ Finally, it is important to consider the cost of inaction, or failure to take action. What

will be the cost, in money, time, or adverse effects, of not correcting a problem in the

laboratory quality system?

$9$

Process Improvement $$ Module $15$ Content Sheet

Role of

leadership

Participation in

the process

Quality

improvement

activities

Retiring a

quality

indicator

Early on$,$ Deming observed that quality managers working without the clear, active, and

open participation of top management cannot succeed in implementing continual

improvement. Sustained leadership must come from the top.

Good leadership fosters the culture for improvement.

$$ Openness$$The process must be understood by all and a recognition that all

laboratory staff will have good ideas to help with improvements.

$$ Commitment$$It must be clearly communicated that there is support for the process

and that improvements will occur.

$$ Opportunity$$A good leader will assure that all staff have the opportunity to

participate in the process.

Always remember that top management, quality managers, and consultants do not

know everything that the bench$-$level staff know, and often are not aware of all of the

staff$$s tasks. It is vital to engage all bench$-$level staff in the process improvement

program, as their knowledge and support are also essential. Furthermore, when staff

know they can make a difference, they will benefit the laboratory by pointing out

potential problems that, when addressed, can be avoided.

Continual improvement requires both leadership and engaged team participation.

The following steps show how to plan quality improvement activities:

$$ use a timeline, and do not take on more than can be accomplished within a timeframe;

$$ use a team approach, involving bench

level staff;

$$ use appropriate quality improvement

tools;

$$ implement corrective or preventive

actions;

$$ report quality improvement activities,

findings, and corrective action progress to management and also to laboratory staff.

If possible, design a study so that results can be statistically measured. Use available

information to select a topic for study, for example:

$$ customer$$s suggestions or complaints;

$$ identified errors from occurrence management program;

$$ problems identified in internal audits.

Consider as a guideline to have no more than one project every six months.

Use a quality indicator only as long as it provides usef