Quality Management (Qm): Pointless Bureaucracy or a Useful Opportunity?
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Spielzeit and its sponsor “The M.-L. von Franz Institute for Studies in Synchronicity” (MLI) both see the need to actively incorporate Quality Management (QM) not only in therapeutic practice and community-oriented outlook but also in other work routines and activities, thereby elevating it from a mere theoretical framework. In addition to the quality of our services, the specific administrative and financial applications are of equal importance. Ultimately, it is the culture of cooperative collaboration within and without rather than the material and technical aspects of products that ensures the high quality services for our clients: patients, agencies and donors.

QM in Practice

Quality in individual work settings, therapy sessions and charity-related work requires a sound organizational setting. QM must therefore be a comprehensive principle that guides the dealings of all members in the shared practice, as well as the collaborators in Spielzeit and its sponsor. Consequently, the work environment must be such that all team members are motivated and self-reliant in realizing their potential. Quality is not only assessed at the conclusion of therapy but is incorporated from the beginning of treatment. This approach requires an organizational setting that values open communication and motivation, supporting employees’ feedback (i.e. how to improve work processes). Thereby, each team member becomes responsible for the quality of services.

Our operational goals are not meant to compete with other therapeutic organizations. Instead, we strive to improve the administrative, financial and therapeutic performances overall.

Spielzeit’s QM approach is not merely a “nice idea”. It constitutes a long-term effective strategy. Each person’s participation in the thinking process and solution-oriented approach is integral to Spielzeit’s everyday operations. The continuing assessment of improvement opportunities and new challenges organically provides important “construction sites” to launch QM efforts. The goal of this assessment is to identify “critical occurrences” by systematically probing individual work processes for potential misunderstandings, chinks and flaws. These may include reliability, professional competence, performance as well as friendliness.