CATEGORY I PANEL DISCUSSION TEMPLATE #46
Using the Baldrige Criteria to Improve Your Organization’s
Performance and Quality
Length:
1.5 hours
Target Audience:
Department heads, vice presidents and C-suite executives
interested in using the Baldrige Criteria, either in applying for the
award or as a framework for organizational improvement
Description:
The Baldrige National Quality Award was developed in 1987 to
enhance the competitiveness of U.S. businesses. Its scope was
since expanded to healthcare and education organizations in 1999
and to nonprofit/government organizations in 2005. The award
recognizes achievements in quality and business performance and
is based on a strong framework of organizational excellence. The
Baldrige Criteria are flexible enough to encompass a wide variety
of methodologies in supporting quality and performance
excellence.
State, local and regional Baldrige-based award programs use the
Baldrige Criteria to advance improvement in their states and
regions. These programs help many local organizations start or
continue their performance journey. Many Malcolm Baldrige
National Quality Award recipients were former state quality award
winners.
Many healthcare organizations, without plans to apply for the
award, are using the criteria to evaluate and improve their
organization’s quality and performance. This framework addresses
a variety of criteria in the categories of leadership; strategic
planning; focus on patients, other customers and markets;
measurement, analysis and knowledge management; staff focus;
process management; and organizational results. Learn from
healthcare executives who are using this framework for overall
organizational improvement or when applying for the awards.
Faculty:
Moderator and 2 to 3 panelists
The moderator should be a healthcare CEO who has led his or her
organization through the Baldrige or state equivalent application
process, a representative from the Baldrige National Quality
Program or state equivalent, or an examiner for the Baldrige
Award or state equivalent.
The panelists could include:
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Healthcare executives with experience with the Baldrige
Criteria, either in using the framework for organizational
improvement or when applying for the Baldrige Award or
local equivalent
Process improvement experts – both from inside healthcare
or similar industries
Representatives from the National Baldrige Quality Award
or the local equivalent
Topics for
Discussion:
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Key motivations to begin the Baldrige journey
Understanding the elements of the Baldrige Criteria
Reasons to use the Baldrige Criteria for organizational
improvement
The critical role of organizational champions
Applying for the award compared to using the framework
solely for organizational improvement
Challenges of the award application process
Lessons learned from the self-assessment and
implementation of change
How to use the framework and maintain improvement in
the long term
Questions for Discussion:
1. Why did your organization decide to pursue the Baldrige journey? Why did your
organization decide to use this framework over others?
2. Who was involved in your organization’s self-assessment process? How did you
decide who to involve?
3. Did any of the results from the self-assessment surprise you? Why?
4. What changes did you make in your organization as a result of the selfassessments?
5. What did you find most helpful in using the Baldrige standards? What was the
most challenging?
6. What is the biggest challenge in preparing the application?
7. What is the process to monitor and revaluate your process improvements?
8. How often do you go back to reassess your organization’s changes and success?
9. What advice would you give to those considering beginning the Baldrige journey?
10. What organizational gains have been sustained and/or helped to advance
additional benefits and outcomes?
Materials for Distribution:
Griffith, J. and K. White. 2005. “The Revolution in Hospital Management.” Journal of
Healthcare Management, 50 (3): 170-190.
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award information and criteria http://www.nist.gov/baldrige
Additional Resources:
Blazey, M. Insights to Performance Excellence in Health Care, 2009-2010: An Inside
Look at the 2009-2010 Baldrige Award Criteria for Health Care. Milwaukee, WI:
American Society for Quality, 2009.
Flynn, B. B., and B. Saladin, 2001. “Further Evidence on the Validity of the Theoretical
Models Underlying the Baldrige Criteria.” Journal of Operations Management 19 (6):
617-52.
National Institute of Standards and Technology. 2010. Baldrige Self-Assessment and
Action Planning: Using the Baldrige Organizational Profile for Health Care. [Online
document; retrieved 10/10.]
http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/publications/upload/2011_2012_Healthcare_Criteria.pdf
National Institute of Standards and Technology. 2009. 2009-2010 Health Care Criteria
for Performance Excellence. [Online document; retrieved 10/10.]
http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/publications/hc_criteria.cfm