Editor's Note: The intense interest in adapting principles of industrial quality control to health care is frequently identified in terms of total quality man agement (TQM). Introduction and implementation of these programs hospital-wide is a characteristic focus of that interest. This commentary by Drs. Miller and Milakovich discusses an even broader implication for these TQM approaches. They suggest their applica tion to health care systems, not only to enhance qual ity, but to improve access as well, through the reve nues generated by increased efficiency.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Starr, P.The Social Transformation of American Medicine. Basic Books , New York, 1982.
2.
Ginsburg JA, Prout DMAccess to health care: A position paper of the American College of Physicians . Ann Intern Med1990;112:641-662.
3.
Milakovich M.Creating a total health care quality environment . Health Care Management Rev1991;16:9-21.
4.
Kinser DMUniversal entitlement to health care. N Engl J Med1990;332:467-470.
5.
Radvosky SSU.S. medical practice before medicare and now. N Engl J Med1990;322:263-267.
6.
Relman ASIs rationing inevitable? N Engl J Med1990 ;322:1809-1810.
7.
Deming WEOut of Crisis. Cambridge, MAMIT Center for Advanced Engineering Study, 1986.
8.
Sherkenbach WWThe Deming Route to Quality and Productivity . Washington, DC, CEEP Press, 1986.
9.
Goldfield N, Nash D (eds). Providing Quality Care: A Challenge to Physicians . Philadelphia, The American College of Physicians, 1989.
10.
Peat, Marwick , Main & Co.Setting quality standards in health care: Balancing purchaser, provider, and patient expectations. Chicago, KMPG Peat Marwick, 1988.
11.
McLaughlin CP, Kaluzny ADTotal quality management in health: Making it work. Health Care Management Rev1990;15(3):7-14.
12.
Callihan D.Rationing medical progress. N Engl J Med1990;322:1810-1813.
13.
Lowi TJThe End of Liberalism: The Second Republic of the United States, ed. 2. New York, WW Norton , 1979.
14.
Berman E., Milakovich M.Increasing global competitiveness through government promotion of total quality management. Paper presented at the Third International Conference on Productivity and Quality Research, Miami, Florida, February 1991.