| Total Quality Management is a management system that promises high quality at low cost. As a system, Total Quality encompasses a philosophy, guiding principles, management systems, techniques, and tools. These could all be applied to healthcare dietetics to improve the products and services provided by dietitians.;Total Quality Management will become important to health-care dietetics following the implementation of the Agenda for Change of the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). This thesis presents a management model on how to integrate Total Quality Management concepts into healthcare dietetics. The model proposes to integrate Total Quality concepts and tools in the application of the JCAHO 10-step monitoring and evaluation process to start the transition. Implementing Total Quality involves data based decision making using systematic tools and techniques. Two techniques are illustrated.;First, a technique developed in Japan was used to identify which elements in a salad bar will satisfy or dissatisfy consumers. Using a model and a questionnaire format developed by Kano, students were surveyed to classify six quality elements of a salad bar. This technique allows managers to identify what matters most to consumers, so they can focus their improvement efforts where it counts.;Second, a factorial experimental design was used to identify which factors have a significant effect in reducing the amount of food spillage on a salad bar. Factors like utensil type and size, location in the salad bar, and the amount of food in containers were analyzed to know their impact on the amount of spillage that occurs with food items frequently spilled like alfalfa sprouts and shredded cheese. The factorial experimental design allowed us to run experiments in a noisy and partially controlled environment and to identify, with a minimum amount of trials, which factors among many have an effect. The results illustrate that experimental design is a powerful statistical tool that could be applied to every day foodservice problems. |
