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International Journal for Quality in Health Care Advance Access originally published online on August 26, 2006
International Journal for Quality in Health Care 2006 18(5):336-345; doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzl033
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International Journal for Quality in Health Care vol. 18 no. 5 © The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved

Evaluating treatment process redesign by applying the EFQM Excellence Model

Udo Nabitz1, Mark Schramade2 and Gerard Schippers3

1 Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Academic Medical Center University of Amsterdam, 2 The Jellinek Centre, Innovation and Prevention Departement, Amsterdam, and 3 Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Academic Medical Center University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Objective. To evaluate a treatment process redesign programme implementing evidence-based treatment as part of a total quality management in a Dutch addiction treatment centre.

Method. Quality management was monitored over a period of more than 10 years in an addiction treatment centre with 550 professionals. Changes are evaluated, comparing the scores on the nine criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model before and after a major redesign of treatment processes and ISO certification.

Results. In the course of 10 years, most intake, care, and cure processes were reorganized, the support processes were restructured and ISO certified, 29 evidence-based treatment protocols were developed and implemented, and patient follow-up measuring was established to make clinical outcomes transparent. Comparing the situation before and after the changes shows that the client satisfaction scores are stable, that the evaluation by personnel and society is inconsistent, and that clinical, production, and financial outcomes are positive. The overall EFQM assessment by external assessors in 2004 shows much higher scores on the nine criteria than the assessment in 1994.

Conclusion. Evidence-based treatment can successfully be implemented in addiction treatment centres through treatment process redesign as part of a total quality management strategy, but not all results are positive.

Keywords: addiction treatment centre, EFQM, evidence-based treatment, quality assurance, total quality management, treatment process redesign

Address reprint requests to Udo Nabitz, AIAR Jellinek Centre, Postbox 3907, 1001 AS Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: unabitz{at}jellinek.nl

Accepted for publication July 19, 2006.


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