Uptake And Implementation Of The 5s Quality Improvement Model At The Kenyatta National Hospital’s Prime Care Centre

ABSTRACT

The 5S quality management approach involves, sorting, setting in order, shining, standardizing and sustaining the improvements. The concept has been adopted by the Kenyan Ministry of Health, through the Kenya Quality Model for Health (KQMH) framework because it provides a solid foundation for achieving operational excellence. While it is a relatively straightforward concept, most facilities find it hard to sustain 5S improvements over time, reverting to poorly organized work places and unsafe practices. This study sought to describe the processof uptake and implementation of the 5S continuous quality improvement model at the Kenyatta National Hospital’s (KNH) Prime Care Centre (KPCC). It also sought to understand the opinions of staff in its implementation and explore factors that promote and impede its implementation. Qualitative in-depth interviews were employed to collect data among staff. The study found that the Hospital has a unit mandated with institutionalizing 5S, with assigned coordinators and trained quality assurance staff. However, there was resistance to changing practice to accommodate 5S, contributing to slow uptake overall. There was deliberate effort to promote uptake through changing corporate culture. There was variation in the extent to which different units were implementing 5S, with study findings suggesting that effective adoption was strongly reliant on a leadership style that encourages effective team work and discipline. The study findings contribute to knowledge on factors that contribute to successful deployment of new quality management systems at busy hospitals, leading to improved quality.