Versatility of Fast Track

| Introduction | Program | Benefits | Implementation | Timelines | Versatility | Support |

Quality is driven and controlled by a well-conceived management system. The basic elements of such a system include policy, defined responsibilities, documented standard practices, control of critical operations, document control, training, review audits and corrective action plans. In essence, ISO 9000 is the guideline for the application of these principles. Naturally, these principles were also the fundamental building blocks Alamo used to design our Fast Track implementation plan. Our system is extremely successful because we apply each of these core elements to the specific standard of interest. The flexibility of our approach also allows us to tailor our delivery to different industries.

Let’s use the health care industry as an example. Privatization, stricter government policies, reduced funding and soaring costs have dramatically changed the business model of hospitals, HMO’s, and physician group practices. Their goal to become leaner, meaner and more profitable has led them to explore ISO 9000 as a possible remedy. Because of its process-driven philosophy, ISO 9000 is well positioned to cure many of the management issues that have plagued health care organizations. For these entities, registration is not the primary objective. More important is the streamlining of internal processes that comes with ISO 9000 implementation. Well-defined and documented procedures also simplify the JCAHO, HEDIS and NCQA accreditation processes that most health care organizations must adhere to. Alamo is at the forefront of ISO consulting in the health care industry. We have used the Fast Track at organizations such as the US Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington, DC, the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia, St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, Oregon and the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan. The results have been exceptional.

The Fast Track adapts to other standards as well. Over the last few years, several industry-specific standards have evolved from the ISO 9000 framework. The best known are ISO 14000, ISO/TS 16949, AS9100 and TL 9000. With more companies pursuing multiple standards, the implementation approach you select should have the ability to adapt. Since the Fast Track is a process-driven methodology, it is inherently more flexible and versatile than pure standard-driven models. This allows your QMS/EMS to accommodate other standards you wish to pursue in the future without taking a step backward. Following is some background information on each of these ISO-based standards and a brief description of how the Fast Track adjusts for each.

ISO 14000 The voluntary development of ISO 14000 was intended to establish a universally accepted code of practice that addressed environmental concerns. Businesses that implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) elevate their status to that of good corporate citizen and confirm their environmental stewardship. While waste reduction and pollution prevention are noble endeavors, businesses are also acutely aware of the tremendous potential for financial gain. By integrating activities like planning, documentation and measurement into daily business operations, it is possible to achieve the dual goals of pollution prevention and profit growth. Alamo is the experienced partner you need to formulate your environmental policies and objectives. We help to identify the environmental aspects and impacts of your company’s activities, products and services, and assist with federal, state and local regulatory requirements. We can even develop your emergency planning and response program. One of Alamo’s first ISO 14000 clients was Lucent Technologies, the first in the telecommunications industry to achieve this feat. Other clients include Toshiba America and Morningstar Foods. What makes ISO 14000 more complex than ISO 9000 are the multiple stakeholders you must satisfy and their, at times, seemingly conflicting interests. Alamo can help you make sense of the confusion.

AS9100 May 1997 saw the introduction of a new standard, which focuses on the unique needs of the aerospace industry. A consortium of industry leaders, including Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Pratt & Whitney were part of the steering committee that drafted this consensus standard. Its sponsors include the Aviation/Space and Defense Division of the American Society for Quality (ASQ). AS9000 is consistent with the quality requirements of NASA, FAA and DoD and as a result, has replaced the SAE ARD9000 standard. It is also aligned with similar industry initiatives in the UK, Germany and France. AS9000 is truly one of the offspring of ISO 9000. It incorporates, intact, all 20 ISO 9000 elements and also includes additional industry-specific clarifications for each of the original elements. More recently, QS9000 has been merged with AS9000 to form AS9100. Alamo can help you get ahead of the curve. We have proved our competency and the effectiveness of the Fast Track with successful AS9000/AS9100 implementation at companies such as Metalmart, Inc., Hollingsead International, Inc., National-Arnold Magnetics, Bristol Industries and Bally Ribbon Mills, and we can do the same for you.

TL9000 Similar to the automotive and aerospace industries, all of the major players in the telecommunications industry adopted the ISO 9000 standard and added additional requirements to form TL 9000. The TL 9000 standard contains common requirements relevant to all companies and additional requirements that apply depending on the type of product provided: hardware, software, and services. What distinguishes TL 9000 from other industry specific standards is the requirement to use metrics. TL 9000 requires companies to establish metrics on specific performance indicators and to benchmark their performance against other suppliers. Gaining registration to TL 9000 is provided through third-party audits conducted by accredited registrars and is virtually identical to the process for ISO 9000 and QS 9000 registration.

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