Quality management in health care: Example of Elâzığ

The most important factor for individuals to live their liveshappily is "beinghealthy". In case of health deterioration, health services are used to be treated. One of the most important indicators of the socio-economic development levels of today's societies is the provision of health services. In recentyears, Total Quality Management practices have gainedspeed in order to provide health services in an efficient and qualitymanner. Healthcare institutions need to give importance to service quality and patientsatisfaction in order to survive, profit and compete. Health and health careprovision has a special importance in maintaining human life, creating and maintaining the quality of life. Organizations that have developedmethods that takeintoaccountcustomer expectations in the service sector in recent years gain advantage over their competitors. One of the most important approaches to achieve this advantage is possiblebyspreading the total qualityapproach to the corporateculture. Over time, variousstandards have beendeveloped to standardize qualitypractices. Among these, especiallythoseapplied in the health sector are ISO 9001: 2008 Quality Management System Standard, EFQM and JCI, organizations such as JCAH and JCAHO have beenestablished in this field. In order to increase the quality in healthcare institutions, qualitystandardspracticesmust be carriedoutcompletely. The goodquality of health servicesofferedby health institutions and organizations is directlyrelated to the extent to which the health careprovidersmeet their expectations and how the service provided is perceived. In this study, aims to evaluate the quality of service provided in health institutions and the quality standards applied in hospitals by the managers of private and public hospitals (Head Physician, Deputy Head Physician, Manager and Debuty Manager) in Elazığ province, what can be done to make HQS more effective and efficient. The sample of this study, which has a cross-sectional, descriptive and inferential nature, was selected by convenience sampling method. The data were obtained with a 21 question questionnaire quality management and a quality perception scale consuming of 20 statements. The universe of the research consist of private hospitals (Özel Elazığ Hayat Hastanesi, Elazığ Özel Mediline Hastanesi, Medikal Park Elazığ Hastanesi, Özel Doğu Anadolu Hastanesi) and public hospitals (Elazığ Fethi Sekin Şehir Hastanesi, Fırat Üniversitesi Hastanesi) in Elazığ and the sample consists of a total of 28 people, including Head Physician, Debuty Head Physician, manager and Debuty Manager working in hospitals. According to the general result of the study, it has been determined that the managers care about the total quality management and quality standards in health, they make great efforts for the institution to provide better health services, they make evaluations and do what is necessary to correct the deficiencies and errors.