Implementing total quality management: the role of the medical staff.

The American health care industry is currently in the process of adopting total quality management--a comprehensive, participative, and systematic approach to planning and implementing continuous quality improvement. Since all hospitals will soon be required to establish total quality management programs, physicians need to understand and adapt to this approach. This article describes the total quality management process for identifying and resolving problems in the health care system and the role of the medical staff in ensuring the success of that process.