THE CUSTOMER KNOWS
BEST: ATLANTICARE
(2021)
Agenda
About AtlantiCare
Problems faced
Implementation of TQM
Results of TQM Implementation
About AtlantiCare
AtlantiCare (Est. 1898) is an integrated system of services designed to help people
achieve optimal health. It comprises AtlantiCare Regional Health Services including
AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center with three locations, ambulatory services and
AtlantiCare Physician Group; the AtlantiCare Foundation; and AtlantiCare Health
Solutions, an accountable care organization. AtlantiCare also offers Atlantic City's only
cancer institute, heart institute, and neonatal intensive care unit
The region’s largest healthcare organization and largest non-casino employer, AtlantiCare’s
more than 6,500 staff and providers serve the community in more than 100 locations in five
southern New Jersey counties. AtlantiCare and its business units are governed by boards of
volunteer community leaders. Its focus is to serve the community as a provider of health
and wellness services.
Problems Faced
Gaps in Staff Communication
Longer Patients waiting time
Lower Patient Satisfaction
To increase the overall revenue of the fi rm
Implementation of TQM
2. Analyze Current
1. Leadership
system and 3. TQM Master Plan
Commitment
Customer Needs
6. Evaluating
5. Integrating at 4. Defining core
progress and
each level values and principles
feedback
8. Constant
7. Adjusting the Plan
Employee Trainings
as per feedback
and awareness
Step 1 : Leadership Commitment
AtlantiCare is a serious business that’s boasted a
respectable turnaround for nearly two decades.
Yet in order to increase that margin further still,
managers wanted to implement improvements
across the board. Because patient satisfaction
is the single-most important aspect of the
healthcare industry , engaging in a renewed
campaign of TQM proved a natural fit.
Step 2 : Analyze Current System and
Customer Needs
The firm chose to adopt a ‘plan -d o-check-act’ cycle, revealing gaps.
Current System
Information trickling down from top-to-bottom.
Longer waiting time.
Gaps in staff communications which subsequently creates more complaints.
Custom er Needs
Fast and easy p ro cess.
G o od q uality of ser vice and b etter engagem ent.
Step 3 : TQM Master Plan
To tackle problems, Management explored following sideways:
Making separate departments like quality, customer service, people and workplace, growth
and financial performance.
PDCA Cycles
Internal Communications
Tight-Loose-Tight Management style
Total Involvement, setting benchmarks for each employee at each level.
Orientations and Courses
Step 4 : Defi ning Core Values and
Principles
Customer Satisfaction is the
Single Top Most Priority.
Internal guidelines and process
standards were made to reduce
errors.
AtlantiCare encouraged vital
feedback from all employees at
every level.
Step 5 : Integrating at Each Level
TQM isn’t an easy management strategy to introduce into a business; in fact, many
attempts tend to fall flat. More often than not, it’s because firms maintain natural
barriers to full involvement.
How AtlantiCare Did?
Creating benchmark goals for employees to achieve at all levels – including better
engagement at the point of delivery , increasing clinical communication and
identifying and prioritizing service opportunities .
Step 6 : Evaluating Progress and
Feedback
Tight-Loose-Tight process man agement style
Tight: At the outset, pro vide a clear a nd compelling
“why” for a specific task or project. Explain why it need s to
be done and why ach ieving the desired resu lt is crucial. This
sets the direction, align s goals, and g ives your team a purpose.
Loose: Once the fou ndation is laid , allow your team to tak e
th e reins. Empower them with freedom, flex ibility, and
autonomy to tackle the task. You don’t need to micro manage;
tru st that they h ave the tools to succeed .
Tight (Aga in) : As th e p roject nears comp letion, step back in.
Now it’s time to review, analyze, and fine-tune . En sure that
th e work aligns with the initial “why.” Your stamp of approv al
ensures the task ’s success.
Step 7 : Adjusting the Plan as per
Feedback
Step 8 : Constant Employee Trainings and
Awareness
AtlantiCare decided to ensure all new employees
understood this quality culture from the onset. At
orientation, staff now receive a crash course in the
company’s performance excellence framework – a
management system that organizes the firm’s
processes into five key areas: quality, customer
service, people and workplace, growth and
financial performance .
As employees rise through the ranks, then also they
are trained.
Results of TQM Implementation
After creating benchmark goals for employees to achieve
at all levels – including better engagement at the point of
delivery, increasing clinical communication and
identifying and prioritizing service opportunities –
AtlantiCare was able to thrive.
The number of repeat customers at the firm tripled, and
its market share hit a six-year high. Profits
unsurprisingly followed. The firm’s revenues shot up
from $280m to $650m after implementing the quality
improvement strategies, and the number of patients being
serviced dwarfed state numbers.
References
• NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS JournalNX- A Multidisciplinary Peer Reviewed
Journal ISSN No: 2581 - 4230 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 10, Oct. -2021
• European CEO Website
• Images are taken from Internet just for reference.
• AtlantiCare Wikipedia
THANK YOU
Ankush Narwal
B-Tech (Mechanical
Engineering)
12016054
