Are quality improvement methods a fashion for hospitals in Taiwan?

Abstract

Objective: This study reviews the rise and fall of the quality improvement (QI) methods implemented by hospitals in Taiwan, and examines the factors related to these methods. Design: Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey. Setting: One hundred and thirty-nine district teaching hospitals, regional hospitals and medical centers. Participants: Directors or the persons in charge of implementing QI methods. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Breadth and depth of the 18 QI methods. Results: Seventy-two hospitals responded to the survey, giving a response rate of 52%. In terms of breadth based on the hospitals' self-reporting, the average number of QI methods adopted per hospital was 11.78 (range: 7-17). More than 80% of the surveyed hospitals had implemented eight QI methods, and >50% had implemented five QI methods. The QI methods adopted by over 80% of the surveyed hospitals had been implemented for a period of ~7 years. On the basis of the authors' classification, seven of the eight QI methods (except for QI team in total quality management) had an implementation depth of almost 70% or higher in the surveyed hospitals. Conclusions: This study provides a snapshot of the QI methods implemented by hospitals in Taiwan. The results show that the average breadth of the QI methods adopted was 11.78; however, only 8.83 were implemented deeply. The hospitals' accreditation level was associated with the breadth and depth of QI method implementation. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; All rights reserved.