Total Quality Management and Operational Performance of Public Health Facilities in Makueni County

Abstract

The implementation of Total Quality Management in healthcare is aimed at creating a quality system that improves an organization’s performance. A quality system can be defined as processes, procedures, responsibilities, resources and structure that an organization needs to improve on quality of it goods or services. Quality mainly focuses on policies, procedures, strategies, human resource, quality of activities and clients. The study objective was to ascertain total quality management practices used in public health facilities in Makueni County. Descriptive design of cross sectional type was used in this study to collect data on population thoughts, behaviors, attitudes and characteristics through acquiring responses to a set of prepared questions. The study used primary data. A questionnaire with both open and close ended questions was used to collect primary data where a response rate of 79% was realized. Analysis of the tabulated data was done using correlation, descriptive and regression statistics with the aid of SPSS version 22. The study used regression model to measure the relationship between independent variable and dependent variables. The study established a strong positive correlation between Operational performance which was the dependent variable and Leadership, Customer Focus, People Management, Process Management and Strategic planning which were the independent variables. The study concluded that total quality management and operational performance of public health facilities in Makueni County are positively related and that 72% of the changes in operational performance was contributed by the predictor variables (strategic planning, people management, leadership, customer focus) while 28% was influenced by other factors. The study recommends that the facilities implement actions necessary to achieve planned results, everyone in the organization should be involved in quality initiatives and staff should be regularly trained on total quality management practices. The study also recommended that there should be a defined way of getting customer feedback, customer complaints should be studied to establish a pattern and prevent further occurrences, the facilities especially Health Centres and Dispensaries should invest in technology and initiatives to continually offer new services or products to customers should be a main focus by all facilities. The study recommended further research to be conducted on total quality management and operational performance in other counties, and government ministries and in Makueni county using different variables to cover the 28% missing gap.