Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine if healthy and successful organizations are working accordingly to Quality Management. The purpose is also to describe in more detail how they are working.

Methodology/Approach

Three Swedish organizations that have shown excellence in leadership, internal partnership, working environment and profitability have been examined, to find out what methodologies they have used for their success. To discover whether these healthy and successful organizations are working accordingly to Quality Management, Deming’s 14-point list has been used as an analytical tool.

Findings

Identified methodologies used by the healthy and successful organizations are described.  Viewed in the light of our analysis, a relationship between the three examined healthy and successful organizations and Quality Management is indicated.

Practical implications

Working with the methodologies described in the paper, the three organizations have improved co-worker health. Other organizations could probably adopt the identified and described methodologies to improve the health of their co-workers and effectiveness in the organization.

Originality/value

Concerning the performance evaluation and the continuous improvement component in Quality Management, substantial contributions could be made to the health area by applying the tools that the quality area have used over a considerable period to improve the quality outcomes.

Quality and health aspects have common success factors, and a focus on high quality could be seen as positive for health outcomes.