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A new study shows that most health care providers support the idea of improving the quality of their services, but few have adopted initiatives to do it. The study, performed by health care quality organization URAC, sought to discover how medical management organizations have responded to a 2001…
More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the WESTEC 2005 exposition and conference, which will be held April 4–7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event is one of the 200 largest trade shows in North America, attracting large numbers of domestic and international manufacturers…
Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans recently appointed four prominent industry leaders to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award panel of judges.The new judges are Lloyd Barker, Alcoa Inc. director of corporate quality; David C. Branch, Branch-Smith Resources Ltd. chairman and CEO;…
Leica Geosystems, an advanced metrology supplier, recently received the prestigious Imaging Solution of the Year award from Advanced Imaging magazine. The award was in recognition of Leica’s innovative LR200 noncontact scanner, which was used by Leica, MAGLEV Inc. and MetricVision to produce a…
SAI Global recently announced the acquisition of Ohio-based CRS Registrars Inc. for an undisclosed sum of money. SAI Global, which is based in Australia, reports that the transaction will add $5 million in revenue to its U.S. customer base. Additionally, the combination of CRS’s and SAI’s North…
Pharmaceutical companies are strengthening their quality assurance programs to comply with government regulations and customer expectations, according to a new survey published by Best Practices LLCThe research firm surveyed seven major pharmaceutical companies and found that they’re striving to:…
A survey conducted by Xerox Corp. found that 83 percent of manufacturing and engineering professionals say they spend too much time looking for information. The results underscore the importance of an effective document management strategy, the company reports. Nearly 90 percent of the respondents…
Imaging Sciences International Inc. recently announced its registration to ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.The developer and manufacturer of dental and maxillofacial radiography products, reports that the registration process is part of its expansion into the global marketplace, as it now is eligible to do…
Frost & Sullivan recently awarded Puritan Bennett, a provider of respiratory products, its 2004 Product Quality Leadership Award. The award was in recognition for Puritan Bennett’s innovative HELiOS Personal Oxygen System, which makes it possible for people requiring supplemental oxygen to “…
Mercury Interactive Corp. recently released a Chinese language version of its popular Quality Center software.The Chinese Mercury Quality Center is an integrated set of application delivery software, services and best practices that allow IT professionals to optimize the quality of business…
The National Committee for Quality Assurance has announced that 39 health plans have committed to participate in NCQA’s Quality Plus program.Collectively, the plans cover 11.5 million Americans. Quality Plus standards focus on the depth, accuracy and interactivity of the information health plans…
The International Organization for Standardization Technical Management Board is circulating a new work item proposal for an ISO Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility. The first meeting of the ISO/TMB group that will develop the proposed ISO SR standard will be held March 7–11 in Brazil. The…
Nanometrics Inc. and August Technology Corp. have announced that they plan to merge. As a single corporate entity, August Nanometrics Inc. will provide comprehensive inspection, and measurement and analysis systems to the global semiconductor, flat-panel display and related microelectronic…
DNV Certification was recently accredited to perform audits to RC 14001 by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Program (ANAB). The RC 14001 standard combines components of ISO 14001 and Responsible Care into one audit. In doing so, RC14001 goes beyond the scope of an environmental management system…
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers will host its 2nd annual Automation & Assembly Summit April 18–20 in St. Louis.The conference, titled “Achieving World-Class Manufacturing with Advanced Automation,” will feature more than 50 technical sessions, keynote presentations from leaders in…
Carl Zeiss AQ recently presented three awards to young entrepreneurs for their outstanding business plans in the German optical technologies industry. It was the first time the company widely advertised the competition in Europe. First place was awarded to Günther Kamlage, for his unique laser…
Masami Tanaka started 2005 with a new job, president of the International Organization for Standardization. Tanaka emphasized in his inaugural message the need for sustainable development and standardization in a globalized society. “Sustainable development and the global economy require…
ISO recently released a formal transition plan for organizations working toward compliance with ISO 14001: 2004.The transition plan is designed to help organizations registered to ISO 14001:1996 update their EMS to be consistent with the new version of the standard. After May 15, 2006, the…
The National Quality Institute recently made available a self-evaluation tool for small businesses that wish to improve. The program was designed for organizations with fewer than 100 employees and provides an outline of how to evaluate businesses, as well as tips on how to plan, carry out and…
Grand Canyon University will offer an MBA in Six Sigma through its Ken Blanchard College of Business. Classes will be offered at the university campus in Phoenix, as well as online and at training facilities coordinated with major corporations. The college decided to offer the degree after…
The American Society for Quality recently launched a new membership program that allows additional access to membership benefits. Sustaining members will continue to receive access to ASQ networking opportunities, literature, strategic initiative materials and journals. In addition, each sustaining…
The Performance Management Group will offer an enhanced management training boot camp in four cities this year, starting in February. The consulting firm added team leadership, metrics and scorecarding to its schedule of intensive management training sessions. The upgraded sessions, which last a…
Sypris Test & Measurement Inc. was recently named a certified supplier for the testing of military aircraft electronics manufactured by BAE Systems.The certification will allow BAE Systems to stock Sypris product without inspecting it first, saving the company time and money, while maintaining…
The 2005 Outlook on Quality Systems Conference, which will be held Oct. 3-4 in Miami Beach, Florida, will offer four exciting, information-packed tracks: ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949, ISO 14001, and Quality Tools. Conference planners are seeking proposals for presentations and panel discussions,…
Aceva Technologies Inc. recently predicted that 2005 will see Six Sigma expand across enterprises and be accepted as the gold standard in process improvement. The prediction is part of Aceva’s annual business trend report. “2005 will be the year where Six Sigma will become a standard of measure in…
