3. SPC knowledge by itself is insufficient to bring about quality. Inability to apply this knowledge is a major obstacle to quality achievement and is the result of numerical illiteracy. “Numerical illiteracy is not a failure with arithmetic, but it is instead a failure to know how to use the basic tools of arithmetic to understand data.

Numerical illiteracy is not addressed by traditional courses in elementary or secondary schools, nor is it addressed in advanced courses in mathematics. This is why even highly educated individuals can be numerically illiterate” (Wheeler, 1993, p. vi).
Explain why and how numerical illiteracy can be a serious problem in healthcare management. What can be done to overcome this obstacle?