Implementation of Quality Management Tools and Process-Based Management in Commercializing Organizations of Orthopaedic Devices in Colombia

Abstract

Quality Management Tools (QMT) are used for heading issues that affect the process performance in healthcare organizations (HCO) and improving key performance indicators related to stakeholders. QMT implementation in HCO is relevant to enhance the patient safety policy, risk mitigation, and prevent adverse event and cost increasing as in clinics and hospitals as in medical devices providers. The article aims to identify the quality management tools implemented in the logistics process in Colombian orthopaedic medical devices as initiative for strengthens the patient safety policy. A 15-questions electronic structured questionnaire was applied in 17 Colombian orthopaedic medical devices which was answered by its logistic coordinators as the process’ leaders. The results show that the three QMT most implemented are 5W + 1H, PDCA cycle and Six Sigma methodology. Furthermore, the HCO which have quality management indicators in reverse logistic processes perceive impacts as result of semester or annual internal audits. To conclude, orthopaedic medical devices organizations combine quality management systems with other methodologies and tools for enhancing the satisfaction of the stakeholders. Specifically, in the logistic process, organizations involve people and technology for getting better results focusing value-added assessment. Future works may be orientated to cover the whole logistic chain and integrate the impact evaluation with clinic and hospitals’ processes.