1. Discuss examples of these eight common characteristics of CQI, using established health care organizations.

A broad definition of CQI and its components in healthcare is: CQI is a structured organizational process involving personnel in planning and executing a continuous flow of improvements to provide quality health care that meets or exceeds expectations. CQI usually involves a common set of characteristics, which include the following:

A link to key elements of the organization's strategic plan

A quality council made up of the institution's top leadership

Training programs for personnel

Mechanisms for selecting improvement opportunities

Formation of process improvement teams

Staff support for process analysis and redesign

Personnel policies that motivate and support staff participation in process improvement

Application of the most current and rigorous techniques of the scientific method and statistical process control

2. Choose one of Deming's 14 Point Program of recommendations for management to improve quality and describe how a healthcare facility you are familiar with or have researched, has applied it to their organization to improve quality.

Deming's 14 Point Program of Recommendations:

1.Create and publish to all employees a statement of the aims and purposes of the company or other organization. The management must demonstrate constantly their commitment to this statement.

2.Learn the new philosophy, top management, and everybody.

3.Understand the purpose of inspection, for improvement of processes and reduction of cost.

4.End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag alone.

5.Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service.

6.Institute training.

7.Teach and institute leadership.

8.Drive out fear. Create trust. Create a climate for innovation.

9.Optimize toward the aims and purposes of the company the efforts of teams, groups, staff areas.

10.Eliminate exhortations for the workforce.

11.a.Eliminate numerical quotas for production. Instead, learn and institute methods for improvement.

11 b.Eliminate management by objective.

12.Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship.

13.Encourage education and self-improvement for everyone.

14.Take action to accomplish the transformation.