Continuous Quality Improvement as a Management Concept for Death Investigation Systems

• NCJ Number: 187176
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 46 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2001 Pages: 94-97
• Author(s): James D. Dibdin M.D.
• Date Published: January 2001
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The concept of continuous quality improvement (CQI) has been applied in business for many years; this paper applies some of the CQI principles to death investigation systems by using a medical examiner system as a typical example.

Abstract

CQI is a management technique in which the basic approach to managing quality consists of setting a standard for a work process, measuring variation in the work process in relation to the standard and then implementing programs to decrease variation and improve end results. Everyone who provides a service becomes involved both in understanding how quality is measured and in discussing how to improve quality. A team approach is adopted, and instead of focusing on poor quality outcomes and how to avoid them, the team becomes involved in setting continuously improving standards for better performance and in finding ways to meet those standards. The objective is to meet or exceed consumer or user expectations. Relevant related concepts such as survey research, needs determination and outcomes analysis, and the importance of a mission statement are discussed in this paper by using a medical examiner system as an example. As with any other business, the medical examiner's office has both internal and external customers. The internal customers consist of the individuals employed by the office, and the external customers are those to whom the office supplies a service. Internal customers of a medical examiner/coroner office would include pathologists, death investigators, administrative and clerical personnel, forensic scientists, and morgue attendants. External customers would consist of families, funeral service personnel, law enforcement agencies, insurance companies, health care professionals, etc., The office itself is an external customer of the agencies that supply it with information. The paper discusses the mission statement, strategic plan, integration of needs, needs assessment, identifying issues, face-to-face meetings, facilitating the meetings, developing solutions, and outcomes analysis. 1 figure, 1 table, and 9 references