Quality management in healthcare and industry : A comparative review and emerging themes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the historical development of quality assessment methods in manufacturing industry and healthcare. It examines the gap between methods across the two sectors, as well as the extent to which industrial techniques have been successfully adopted in healthcare. Finally, a proposal for a new approach is presented. Design/methodology/approach – Firstly, a review of the evolution of quality assessment was conducted, based on books written by prominent experts in the field. Secondly, a study of the current approaches in healthcare was undertaken. Publications from varied sources, including worldwide operations research and healthcare sources were selected according to criteria and reviewed. Findings – While, the concept of quality has a long history, quality management in healthcare is not as advanced as in industry. There are a number of reasons for this, such as differences in concerns and processes across the two sectors. Further, quality researchers have differing views towards the best approaches. It was deduced that the way forward in healthcare quality is the enhancement of staff ownership and pride in a way akin to the era of the craftsmen, but with the use of new technology. Practical implications – The findings provide a picture of how far quality management has advanced in industry and healthcare. There is a note of caution for the use of industrial techniques in healthcare, which may provide useful direction for further research and implementation. Originality/value – This work uniquely examines the origins of the concern for quality, and follows the changes in demand and supply in industry and healthcare. It argues that understanding this historical review, and the nature of processes across both areas, is key to the future of healthcare quality. Finally, a new approach based on discrete event simulation is proposed.