Perception towards Total Quality Management practices impact on individual work performance: A research on Pre-Hospital Emergency Health Services workers

The lack of compensation for errors in healthcare services and the emphasis on patient and employee safety have made quality practices mandatory. In addition, with the increasing use of technology in healthcare services, patients' desire to receive quality service has increased. In our country, quality practices in public health services are carried out regularly compared to other public institutions. In order to ensure the quality level in health institutions, a set of quality standards in health has been prepared by the Ministry of Health according to the type of service offered. In line with the quality standards in health, it is aimed to ensure patient and employee safety and patient and employee satisfaction in pre-hospital emergency health services, to prevent errors and to make continuous improvements in the work area and service delivery, and to provide effective, efficient and accessible health service. The performance of employees who are quality practitioners in pre-hospital health services is important for service quality. Good employee performance increases patients' satisfaction and prevents errors. Measuring the performance of employees and making improvements by evaluating the performance measurement results lead organizations to success. Quality management and performance have common elements that they attach importance to, such as employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, high efficiency with low cost, prevention of resource waste, effective use of resources, and zero errors. Quality practices offered in health services have the potential to affect the performance of employees. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of total quality management practices on the performance of employees in pre-hospital emergency health services. Research data were collected by survey technique from 284 people working at the Bolu Provincial Ambulance Service Chief Physician. Data was analyzed using the SPSS 26 program. As a result of the analysis, it was concluded that the employees' perception of quality and individual job performance were at a high level. It was concluded that quality perception positively affects individual job performance. In addition, it was concluded that the quality perception and individual job performance perception of the research participants differed according to demographic characteristics.