ABSTRACT
Quality improvement activities are conducted in a variety of ways. As mentioned elsewhere in this book, FOCUS-PDCA, the 10-step model, monitoring, supervision, and quality design all can be effective methods for improving quality. The choice of which approach to use sometimes can be confusing. The key is to select an intervention which is appropriate both to the task and resources at hand. Many facilities involved in managed care are small, and the staff may be overwhelmed to think it must form teams to work on improving quality. A team might involve every member in a facility. Depending on the topic, a team may or may not be needed. A team is a “high performing task group whose members are interdependent and share a common performance objective.” A team formed to select improvement opportunities should expect to change membership or create a new group after the topic is selected.
