抄録
Since April 2000, the Research Group on Total Quality Management in Healthcare has pursued its activities as a part of planned studies of the Japanese Society for Quality Control (JSQC). Our group consists of members from
（1） The business arena (managers or quality control representatives of corporations).
（2） The health care arena (health care organization administrators or practitioners in charge of quality control and those from health related companies).
（3） Academics (from universities or research institutions) studying quality control or healthcare management.
In a two-hour meeting held monthly, project members or invited speakers make presentations, and discussion follows.
The most significant outcome and value of this group is awareness-raising among members. Members from the healthcare arena learn the basic thinking manner or common sense about
quality control, and those from the business environment learn the features of medicine.
Our group is confident about applying ideas and methods of quality control developed in industry in the healthcare arena. We will develop further study on quality management in medicine in close cooperation with the “ Working Group on Quality and Safety in Healthcare ” recently launched by JSQC.
