Healthcare Quality Tools
The skill of quality professionals is to choose the most suitable tool and determine when to use.
Graphical tools for process understanding. A flowchart creates a map of the steps in a process, and documents the inputs and outputs for each step. Details and Example
Brainstorming is a tool used by teams to bring out the ideas of each individual and present them in an orderly fashion to the rest of the team. The key ingredient is to provide an environment free of criticism for creative and unrestricted exploration of options or solutions. Details and Example
A simple data-recording device, custom-designed by the user to allow for easy data collection and interpretation. Example
An affinity diagram is the organized output from a brainstorming session. Use it to generate, organize, and consolidate information related to a product, process, complex issue, or problem. Group the information according to affinity, or similarity. Details and Example
A tool for analyzing a process by illustrating the main causes and sub-causes leading to an effect (or symptom). Also called an "Ishikawa diagram" after its inventor, Kaoru Ishikawa, and the "fishbone diagram," because the complete diagram resembles a fish skeleton. Details and Example
Force field analysis is based on the assumption that any situation is the result of forces for and against the current state being in equilibrium. Countering the opposing forces and/or increasing the favorable forces will help induce a change. Details and Example
A graphic tool for ranking causes from most significant to least significant. It’s named for economist Vilfredo Pareto, who said most effects come from relatively few causes: that is, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the possible causes. Details and Example
A graphical depiction of variation in a set of data. A histogram lets people see patterns that are difficult to detect in a simple table of numbers. Details and Example
A Run Chart is the most basic tool used to display how a process performs over time. It is a line graph of data points plotted in chronological order—that is, the sequence in which process events occurred. These data points represent measurements, counts, or percentages of process output. Run Charts are used to assess and achieve process stability by highlighting signals of special causes of variation. Details and Example
A chart with upper and lower control limits on which values for a series of samples are plotted. The chart frequently includes a central line to help detect a trend of plotted values toward either control limit. Details and Examples
A graphic technique for analyzing the relationship between two variables. Two sets of data are plotted as dots on a graph: Patterns in how the dots are dispersed can help determine if the variables are related. Details and Example