Four Reasons to Prioritize Quality in Healthcare Management to Achieve Universal Coverage

Abstract

Health organizations have management goals that influence how they plan and use their resources. These goals include quality, cost, quantity, delivery, and ethics. When managed in a comprehensive and balanced way, these goals contribute to the continuous improvement and overall success of organizations. However, this balance is not always achieved, especially if quality is not prioritized as the first organizational goal. This article highlights four reasons, supported by strategic, logical, ethical, and statistical arguments, that justify prioritizing quality. The first reason is ethics and equity, ensuring that all users receive high-quality medical care. The second reason is that prioritizing quality also contributes to achieving other competitive organizational goals. The third reason is that by prioritizing quality, positive health care outcomes are optimized, while the negative consequences of poor quality are avoided. The fourth reason highlights that health organizations are highly complex and have significant workloads; prioritizing quality ensures the efficient use of resources while maintaining high service levels despite complexity and demand. This article discusses four reasons to justify promoting quality as the first goal of health organizations, hoping to help decision-makers defend the prioritization of quality over other goals.