siliconindia | | September 20189be considered Value for Money. The supplier will benefit by creating value for his business and getting the loyalty of customers. At the basic level, getting `Quality' means getting exactly what is prom-ised or offered or named. For example, when we buy a shirt, Quality means a garment of fabric which will last over at least a hundred washes, will not tear or fade, the fit and the stitching will be perfect, the buttons will last till the life of the shirt, and it will offer protection from heat & cold to the wearer. Do the shirts that we buy offer all the listed items? Does the fabric fade? Does it tear easily? Do the buttons fall-off? Answers to hundreds of similar ques-tions decide quality. Cultural Background: The con-cept of Quality may differ from person to person and culture to culture. The need for Quality will also differ for different goods and services. People may accept poor quality in disposable items because ultimately they are to be thrown-off. This is not a compromise on quality, but a compromise due to necessity. But the same people may spend more when it is a question of medical treatment for a member of the family.Quality in Healthcare: What about Quality when it is a question of health-care? Can we honestly say that a little compromise here and there will not af-fect the outcome of medical treatment given to a patient? The answer is a big NO. Any compromise in the healthcare service industry may lead to nasty out-comes. In healthcare, Quality has to be taken care of in infrastructure, equip-ment and services. Can the doctors and the paramedical staff work as a team to face emergency situations? Does the hospital have lifesaving equip-ment in working condition? An answer of YES to all these questions enables `QUALITY' in a hospital. Neeraj Lal
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