Question

Which of the following is a basic principle of improvement?
(A) Improvement must come from the bottom up — not the top down.
(B) Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.
(C) Data should always drive improvement.
(D) When examining a complex system, consider all the parts separately.

Answer 1

From the given the statement, "every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets" is a basic principle of improvement.

Option B

Explanation:

The improvement activity begins with the quote ‘every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets’, by W. Edwards Deming; The quote states both the unintended and intended effects are designed into our systems.

For example: Healthcare in the UK has been perfectly designed to lower the waiting times to 18 weeks for various procedures over last twelve years. Reflecting on Safer Patients Initiative (SPI), this can be true to improvement systems: every improvement system is perfectly designed to get the results its gets and SPI is a case in point.

The leading improvements that need to be designed into our improvement systems:

• Improvement activity needs to be built on strong foundations
• Greater engagement with people’s intrinsic motivation
• Embrace a wider set of methods
• Greater understanding of how systems and processes outside direct clinical care contribute to safety and quality.

So, it can be concluded that the line given by W. Edwards Deming tends to be the principle of improvement.