Quality Management Practices Effects On The Performance Of Public Hospitals In Kenya: A Case Of Moi Teaching And Referral Hospital

ABSTRACT

Adoption of Total Quality Management practices by organizations in Kenya develops voluntary technical standards, which add value to all types of business operations. They contribute to making the development and supply of products and services more efficiently, safer and cleaner. The general objective of this study was to investigate quality management practices effects on the performance of public hospitals in Kenya: A case of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. This study was guided by the following specific objectives: to establish the influence of top management on the performance of public hospitals in Kenya, to examine the influence of strategic planning on the performance of public hospitals in Kenya, to determine the influence of customer focus on the performance of public hospitals in Kenya and to identify the influence of employee relation on the performance of public hospitals in Kenya. The descriptive survey research design was used for this study. The target population comprised of 108 respondents from the 12 Departments in the Hospital. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequencies and tables and content analysis technique was used to analyse the qualitative data. The concluded that top management commitment was critical for organizational performance. Top management in the institutions under study was willing to commit organizational resource in supporting total quality management. Employee involvement had a direct relationship with organizational performance. Employees were involved in decision making within their respective organizations, employees are provided with adequate training and education to perform their tasks, and there were clear communication channel between employees and senior managers listened to employee’s opinions and encouraged team work among employees. The organization always attempted to meet its customer needs, address customers complaints as a priority for the organization, the organization actively performed market research to identify customer needs and that the organization provided clear channels of communication to its customers. The study recommended that in order for an organization to successfully implement quality management system, the top management must create, share and sustain quality management targets and values. Hospitals that exhibit higher levels of strategic planning perform better in both financial and non-financial indicators compared to those exhibiting low levels of strategic planning. For a successful quality management, customer orientation practices must be embedded within the organization. Hospitals in Kenya must enhance employee’s capacity in order to improve provision of service quality. Adequate number of high skilled and experienced employees must be employed continuously, discourage ineffective recruitment, encourage monitoring of doctors and staff, ensure that performance and practice standards are met to enhance service quality provision