Summary

GAO reviewed the implementation of total quality management (TQM) at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). GAO found that: (1) almost all of the responding VA facilities have implemented or are planning to implement TQM; (2) 71 percent of VA facilities began TQM implementation within the past 2 years; (3) as TQM maturity increased, VA involvement in TQM activities increased; (4) 41 percent of VA facilities believed that TQM had positive benefits, while 55 percent believed it was too soon to judge TQM benefits; (5) VA internal operating conditions improved as TQM maturity increased; (6) VA respondents identified employee organization and union resistance to change and a disconnection between strategic quality plan and goals and other VA strategic plans among its barriers to implementing TQM; and (7) VA respondents believed barriers to TQM became less significant as maturity increased.