Introducing change (science into the operating room): quality improvement versus experimentation.

Introducing change is sometimes vital on an individual, departmental, and institutional level to improve the quality of care of patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. This review discussed the following areas: cost of poor quality, variation, knowledge, Deming's red bead experiments and his conclusions, how do you try to improve, measurement, statistics, and quality improvement verses research. Successes and failures with regard to the introduction of change, and strategies to introduce change without creating conflict are discussed with reference to the hospital in which the author works.