If a tree falls in the forest but no one is around Communicating Quality Michael Noble MD FRCPC University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada Does it make a sound? 1 2 If a laboratory has no Quality program Is it competent enough to be a modern laboratory? NO 3 If a laboratory says it has a Quality Plan But no one ever talks about it, does the plan actually exist? No. And Without Quality The Laboratory and its Clients will pay the Consequences 4
Communication within International Standards Communicating Quality ISO 9001:2008 Quality Exists When a Culture of Quality Exists 5.5.3 Internal Communication Top management shall ensure that appropriate communication processes are established within the organization and that communication takes place regarding the effectiveness of the quality management system. Culture of Quality Exists When Quality is a Part of Daily Living ISO 15189:2007 4.1.6 Organization and Management Laboratory management shall ensure that appropriate communication processes are established within the laboratory and that communication takes place regarding the effectiveness of the quality management system. And Daily Living Depends on Communication 5 ISO 15189:2007 and Communication 6 Communicating Quality Internal messaging Quality thrives in an effective communication environment and withers in its absence. Communication is a critical component for developing a culture of quality. On its most basic level, employees cannot be expected to work within a quality system if they are unaware that the quality system exists: this is the basis of the obligation to ensure that communication pathways exist. Communication can take many forms including discussion and written material distributed at the start of employment, during staff briefings, or during quality-oriented seminars. It may be in the form of communiqués, information sheets, newsletters, team discussion, or news alerts. 7 Bringing IN the outside message 8
Internal Communication can take many forms Communicating Improvement 9 Multimedia Internal Messaging Pamphlets Monitoring Scales Cartoons Projects and Activities Critical Events Proficiency Testing Accreditation Reviews Proficiency Testing critiques Accreditation Information Electronic Journal Access Teleconference materials Conference Reports Education Materials Electronic Messaging Speakers Action Based Events notices Newsletters Results Reviews 10 Provision of: Meeting time Seminar Time Events Time Text Based Bringing the Outside Message In Discussion Based Graphic Based Internal Audits External Internal Audits Reporting processes 11 12
Communicating Quality Communications from Within More Personal More Engaging Inexpensive Organizational Time and Energy Signage Notices Newsletters Meetings Internal Continuing Education Communications from Without More Polished More Variety May be More Costly Organizational Time and Energy Knowledge and Information Quality Partner Communications Teleconferencing Conference Support Education Support 13 Quality Costs Quality is Not Free TEEM Time Effort (physical) Energy (mental) Money 14 Internal Communications Come Cheap Activity Time Effort / Energy MONEY Communication Notes Newsletters Seminar Series Qualityas Meeting Agenda Topic Low (30-60 min) Intermediate (60-120 minutes) High Intermediate (120-240 minutes) Low Intermediate Intermediate Very Low (Pennies) Low (Few Dollars) Intermediate ($50-100) Low Intermediate Nil Quality Discussion Group Low Low Nil Sharing Results Intermediate Intermediate Nil CreatingInformation Quality Indicators Internal Audits High (1-5 days) High Intermediate 15 Dave Crosby If you buy a book for 25 dollars and it prevents one error, you are way ahead of the game. No error costs only 25 dollars. 16
Free Sources of Quality Information Quality Partner materials Internet sites Libraries Blogs Quality Oriented Internet Sites www.cmpt.ca www.polqm.ca www.westgard.com www.darkdaily.com WWW.iso.org www.qualitydigest.com www.qmpls.org http://adulldayatwork.blogspot.com/ 17 18 Quality Oriented Blogs http://adulldayatwork.blogspot.com www.microbeworld.org http://www.quality-assurancesolutions.com/quality-assurance-blog.html http://managementhelp.org/blogs/quality/ http://blog.quality-matters.com/ http://www.juran.com/blog/ www.medicallaboratoryquality.com 19 External Communications Do Not Have to be Expensive Activity Time Effort / Energy MONEY Quality Partner Discussion Groups Low Intermediate Low External Internal Audit 1-2 Days Intermediate High Teleconferences Low Intermediate Intermediate Bring in Local Speakers Low Low Intermediate Bring in Away Speakers Low Intermediate Low- Intermediate Send folksto Local Conferences Sendfolks to Away Conferences Intermediate Intermediate High High Intermediate Costly 20
Quality Communication Time Budget Activity Organization and presentation time Hours per Month Awareness Notices 6-8 Meeting Talks 4-6 Newsletter 1-3 Quality Seminars 3-4 Internal Audits 8-12 Total Time (hr/month) Data Presentations 4-6 23-36 Teleconferences 4-6 Speakers 1-2 Quality Partner Discussion 2-4 7-12 Communication Program 30-48 Quality Communication Time Budget Activity Organization and presentation time Hours per Month Awareness Notices 6-8 Meeting Talks 4-6 Newsletter 1-3 Quality Seminars 3-4 Internal Audits 8-12 Total Time Data Presentations 4-6 23-36 Teleconferences 4-6 Speakers 1-2 Quality Partner Discussion 2-4 7-12 Communication Program 30-48 21 22 Sharing the Message Using the Power of the WEB Why keep a good idea to yourself? 23 24
UBC Certificate Course in Laboratory Quality Management 20 week highly interactive on-line course in 6 modules A CONFERENCE FOR YOUR JUNE 2011 CALENDAR National and International Participation. Restricted group size to ensure participation and interaction Tuition includes library of 14 reference texts. Currently in 8th year. Certification by examination, assignments and participation scales. Satisfaction survey results available at www.polqm.ca 25 (Blogs) 26 Web-Log Journals Making Medical Laboratory Quality Relevant www.medicallaboratoryquality.com 27 An early entry into social media early 1990s. Akin to community list-servs and Bulletin Boards Blog platforms readily available and free Easy to design Easy to monitor Most services ensure copyright protection Blasting out is easy Audience development is the challenge. 28
TWITTER One Communication Strategy Multiplier Effect CORE INFORMATION BLOG COMMUNITY WEB-JOURNAL BLOG SPECIAL INFORMATION EMAIL NOTIFICATION FACEBOOK CORE INFORMATION 29 Making Medical Laboratory Quality Relevant www.medicallaboratoryquality.com Web-log committed to LQM Active since July 2010 Regular entries Entry Length average 550 words 3 4 hours per week Active Commentary Growing Community United States Canada United Kingdom China Germany Saudi Arabia Malaysia Netherlands Japan Russia plus 20+ others. 30 MMLQR Monthly Visits Record Communicating the Message Peer Review Time to Eyes Audience Focus Attention Meetings No Rapid SMALL YES Journals Yes Slow Large Small On-Line Journals Yes Intermediate Large Intermediate Textbooks Variable Glacial Large Very small Web-Logs No Immediate Intermediate Intermediate 31 32
Communicating the Message In Summary: Quality Communication Lots to keep a person busy Licence Credibility Copyright Control Impact Meetings High Variable Poor High Journals Low Variable Variable Variable On-Line Journals Textbooks Variable Variable Poor Variable Very Low Variable Poor Variable but Dropping Create the Message Quality Systems Quality Requirements Bring the Message Web-Logs Very High Variable Poor Variable but Rising Deliver the Message 33 34 Quality Costs Quality is Not Free TEEM Time Effort (physical) Energy (mental) Money Message on Quality Communication There are many ways to do it RIGHT Engaged Regular Consistent Focussed on Objectives There is ways to do it less RIGHT Scattered or irregular Non-participatory There is one way to do it WRONG Do NOTHING 35 36
Sites to Visit www.cmpt.ca www.polqm.ca www.medicallaboratoryquality.com www.polqmweekendworkshop.ca 37