You may solicit external expertise for support on implementing a quality management system. Yet, it is important that you, as a company, perform the most important work yourself. This is the only way to obtain a mature quality management system that is supported by the entire organisation. Moreover, the implementation of a quality management system is accompanied by the launch of an endless cycle of continuous improvement. The latter is impossible should you outsource the entire process of quality management.

Implementing a quality management system entails an intensive process that requires the involvement of the entire organisation. If you have insufficient internal expertise or capacity to coordinate or to support this project, it is perfectly possible to call upon external consultancy. Even if you do have sufficient in-house knowledge, an internal audit conducted by an external party always offers added value. An external view is always instructive.

When you exclude external input, you are at risk of operational blindness. An internal audit can be perfectly conducted at the end of the implementation process or, for verification purposes, after a certain period of time. This is the way to have an external party verify whether you are still on the right track.

Ownership of quality

When implementing a quality management system, it is extremely important to put the final responsibility for the different aspects of quality care at the departments.  

This is the only way to obtain support throughout the entire organisation. The own quality department or quality coordinator, whether or not assisted or supported by an external partner, has to coordinate the project but should not be bearing the substantive responsibility. The quality system must literally be owned by the organisation.

Cycle of continuous improvement

It is only possible to launch a cycle of continuous improvement if the responsibility is borne. Based on data collection and thorough analysis, the several departments continuously strive to improve and optimise their processes and procedures. It is important to identify the cause and to adjust should something go wrong. This permanent improvement cycle runs according to the steps Plan, Do, Check, Act. Only when the responsibility for quality is distributed correctly over all segments of the organisation, you will be able to launch such improvement cycle and to maintain its functioning.

Perform quality management yourself or outsource it? Feel free to contact us with all your questions.