A plan for quality management in the Indian Health Service.

This report summarizes the Plan for Quality Management in the Indian Health Service (IHS). It includes the rationale for this initiative and describes the planned approach for achieving the improvements. This document states a need for reorganizing and revitalizing the management of the IHS. The IHS' Quality Management Initiative (QMI) plan is designed to increase the quantity and improve the quality of the agency's health care services by strengthening management and accountability throughout the agency. The plan calls for an "institution building" approach to instill a new management culture within the IHS. It consists of a series of individual projects focused on specific deficiencies while addressing the underlying issues that must be addressed by the management culture. The QMI plan has three main thrusts: 1) exert strong leadership; 2) make immediate corrections; and 3) build a permanent infrastructure. In an appendix, seven particular related projects are prioritized