Application of Quality Control Circle Activities in Reducing Loss Rate During Storage of Traditional Chinese Medicine Decoction Pieces: An Effectiveness Study
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of Quality Control Circle (QCC) activities in reducing the loss rate during storage of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) decoction pieces in our hospital pharmacy department. Methods: A QCC team was established to systematically analyze the causes of TCM decoction piece losses. Using quality improvement tools including Pareto charts, the 80/20 rule, and fishbone diagrams, we identified key areas for improvement and developed targeted intervention strategies. The study period spanned from January to December 2023, with pre-intervention data collected from January to December 2022. Loss rates were calculated and compared before and after QCC implementation. Results: According to the “80/20 rule” analysis, the primary improvement targets were identified as inadequate maintenance of decoction pieces and dispensing losses. Following QCC implementation, the loss rate of TCM decoction pieces decreased significantly from 1.27% (pre-intervention) to 0.65% (post-intervention), achieving an improvement rate of 47.40%. The total monetary loss decreased from 9,592.62 RMB to 4,546.97 RMB. Conclusion: QCC activities can effectively reduce the loss rate of TCM decoction pieces in hospital pharmacy departments, improve the quality of herbal medicines, ensure patient medication safety, and enhance pharmaceutical service quality. This systematic approach provides a valuable framework for continuous quality improvement in TCM pharmacy management.
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