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Quality and Risk Management in the IVF Laboratory
people cannot see themselves as being “special” or have the perspective that quality is “what I employ you all for.” A vital role of senior management is to ensure that the process of implementing TQM does not stall, because this will cause a major loss of faith in the process by the affected personnel – and getting them to buy back in will be far more difficult than it was the first time around. There is a great deal of excellent advice on how to be a good manager in the Essential Manager’s Manual (Heller and Hindle, 2003) and we recommend it highly. Education and training
Everyone in the organization – the directors, managers and all employees – must be provided with the education to ensure that their general awareness and understanding of quality, its concepts and the necessary attitudes and skills, is sufficient for them to understand the philosophy of continuous quality improvement and to allow them to participate actively in the process. What might seem like a load of jargon at the outset must become a language of quality that is understood by the entire organization. This requires that it be made relevant to running an IVF Center, with explanation given in terms that illustrate its relevance and value. People must also be taught the tools and techniques that they will need as the process of implementing TQM proceeds. For scientists who have received proper training in scientific method and investigation much of this will be easy, if not second nature. But not everyone will have had the benefit of the highest calibre teachers, and will not, therefore, all be at the same level. Education and training of its workforce is a large, yet vital, investment that every organization must be prepared – and able – to make. Without such skills and knowledge it will be difficult for many people to solve problems, and education is a prerequisite for attitude and behavioural changes (see Chapter 12 for a more detailed discussion