Abstract:
To achieve competitive advantage through maintenance of quality, organizations must
ensure that they achieve the highest possible standards in order for them to attract and
maintain the consumers in the market. The main focus of ISO 9001:8000 is service
delivery and is the most successful quality management system for many organizations
including the health sector. The main purpose of this study was to determine the
relationship between quality management systems and organizational performance at Moi
Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret. The specific objectives were to; find out the
effects of ISO 9001:8000 certification on health care provision, financial management
and development planning and propose strategies of enhancing the effectiveness of ISO
9001: 8000 certification on service delivery. The study utilized the descriptive survey
design and adopted mixed research approach of data collection. There were 280
management employees in MTRH who formed the target population of this study. The
study used Yamane (1967) formula to determine its sample size. Proportionate and simple
random sampling techniques were used to obtain the 165 respondents. Data was collected
by use of questionnaires and interview schedules. The collected data was analyzed using
both descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and Pearson
Correlation analysis. The study found out that ISO certification was positively linked to
service delivery (health care provision, financial and human resource management and
development planning) and that there was need to review on the competencies of staff
members and provide scholarships to its members for acquisition of skills. The study
recommends that there was need for provision of training of employees at MTRH to
enable them acquire skills in the various hospital departments and therefore effectively
implement hospital strategic plan which enhances the implementation of ISO standards
and that there is need for the hospital management to determine and provide resources for
the infrastructure development especially for hospital equipment and facilities which
ensures that there is better and improved service to the customers. The findings of this
study will guide the policy makers in Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and related
institutions and other various organizations and industries to know the role the success
factors play in shaping standardization practices, how they affect performance and what
strategies to use in order to remain competitive and achieve sustainable growth and
performance.
