Publication

A study on Ishikawa’s original basic tools of quality control in healthcare

McDermott, Olivia
Antony, Jiju
Sony, Michael
Rosa, Angelo
Hickey, Mary
Ann Grant, Tara
Citation
McDermott, Olivia, Antony, Jiju, Sony, Michael, Rosa, Angelo, Hickey, Mary, & Grant, Tara Ann. (2023). A study on Ishikawa’s original basic tools of quality control in healthcare. The TQM Journal, 35(7), 1686-1705. doi:10.1108/TQM-06-2022-0187
Abstract
The main objective of this study is to investigate Ishikawa¿s statement that ¿95% of problems in processes can be accomplished using the 7 Quality Control (QC) tools¿ and explore its validity within the healthcare sector. The study will analyse the usage of the 7 QC tools in the healthcare service sector and the benefits, challenges, and critical success factors for the application of the 7 QC tools in this sector. Design/methodology/approach ¿ In order to evaluate Ishikawa¿s statement and how valid his statement is for the healthcare sector, an online survey instrument was developed, and data collection was performed utilizing a stratified random sampling strategy. The main strata/clusters were formed by healthcare professionals working in all aspects of healthcare organisations and functions. A total of 168 participants from European healthcare facilities responded to the survey. Findings ¿ The main finding of this study is that 62% of respondents were trained in the 7 QC tools. Only 3% of participants in the healthcare sector perceived that the seven tools of QC can solve above 90% of quality problems as originally claimed by Dr Ishikawa. Another relevant finding presented in this paper is that Histograms, Cause & Effect diagrams and check sheets are the most used tools in the healthcare sector. The least used tools are Stratification and Scatter diagrams. This paper also revealed that the 7 QC tools proposed by Dr. Ishikawa were most used in hospital wards and in administration functions. This work also presents a list of Critical Success Factors required for the proper application of the 7 QC tools in Healthcare.
Funder
Publisher
Emerald
Publisher DOI
10.1108/TQM-06-2022-0187
Rights
CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IE