Importance of TQM in Success of Emergency Services

Agility and accuracy is the key of success of any emergency service. The quality of emergency services includes wide variety of quality aspects, all of which are important. The lack of detailed information about any of these aspects means that we have not able to figure out need of quality control area of vital interest to the people in India. In India awareness towards emergency services is not much in comparison to our western counter parts. But it’s our moral duty to educate them about their right of safety. There is a need of public private partnership (PPP) in this area. The 108 Emergency services of Emergency Management and Research Institute is a good step in this direction.
The traditional perspectives of quality and the familiar view of customer satisfaction are inadequate to manage the complex relationship between the emergency service firm and the victims of emergency. According to one study by Lengrick Hall (1995) victims play four roles in emergency care system –that of supplier, product, participant and recipient. Plek (1995) describes TQM as a cooperative form of doing business, which relies on talent and capabilities of both labor and management to improve quality and productivity continually, using teams.

Three important factors for success of TQM in emergency services:
1.Participative management
2.Continuous process improvement
3.Managing Teams

Cost management is critical for the sustained quality emergency services because in any agency resources are main concern especially in case of a nonprofit organization. When you are walking on a tight rope, you can’t afford dancing. The cost management is important in controlling a nation’s healthcare expenditure.
Emergency services like fire brigade, ambulance and security and rehabilitation are people oriented, the prevention and reduction of human errors at all level are of vital importance. In case of   emergency people are in trauma and emotionally charged up, this makes them difficult to handle. This means that top priority must be given to human reliability with a set goal of 100 per cent. Progressive movement towards this goal is characterized by emphasis on two “Zs”. The two Zs for human reliability:

1.Zero Error: Emphasis on accuracy
2.Zero Delay: Emphasis on urgency

Summary:
With increasing awareness and criticality of operations emergency services need to review their quality policies. No service industry, which expects to grow, survive or serve the society in rapidly changing operational environment, can maintain the status quo. In case of emergency services government need to monitor the quality standards in services without promoting bureaucracy. In present scenario speed and accuracy in demand of hour in emergency services and philosophy like TQM will be immense help in achieving these goals.

Written by Vinaytosh Mishra

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