The Alchemist and the Magician: Quality Improvement through Empathy and Learning in Complex Systems

Abstract

At the heart of Quality Assurance is Qualia, man’s ability to understand one other as a species. Understanding the customer requirements of a product or service requires empathy. This thesis will explain how quality assurance permits laboratorians to work effectively within healthcare systems, understand the voice of the customer and meet their requirements. A questionnaire was used to obtain information from medical laboratory professionals employed in Canada. Four psychometric instruments were used to determine if: (a) Autistic personality types are prevalent, (b) Machiavellian personality types are prevalent and, (c) the cultural characteristics of the workforce. Personality styles point to learning system archetypes in the human brain. A neurocognitive model called the Triadic Adaptive Learning System (TALiS) is proposed. A vision for humanity, called The Quality System of Goodness, is presented. This cybernetic system is supported by the ethics, science and philosophy of Integral Permaculture. Opportunities for further research are discussed.