Abstract

International organization for standardization (ISO) published 9000 series of standards for quality management. This study aims to evaluate the effects of implementing ISO quality management system in hospitals. The sample hospital was a teaching hospital in central Taiwan. To investigate the nurses’ experiences in establishing ISO system, the questionnaires using 5-point Likert scales were designed according to ISO’s four quality management policies and were answered by the nurse directors and nurses in the sample hospital. The results analyzed with paired-t test, analysis of variance, and factor analysis showed the satisfaction score given to ISO from senior nurses were higher than that from junior ones. Hospital workers identified benefits resulting from the practice of ISO system. Therefore, ISO system benefits hospitals and healthcare centers without taking operating costs into consideration. Contrary to ISO’s intention, statistically ISO only has three significant dimensions as opposed to the four designed into the system.

Key words: Quality management, International organization for standardization (ISO) 9000 family of standards, hospital quality.