M.

EvanSon

Merit Medical

OGL 357 Discussion Post Module 5

Merit Medical manufactures and markets disposable medical supplies globally. The Company,

founded in 1987, is based in Utah and strives to be the most customer focused healthcare company in

the world. There are manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia (Awards, 2020). The

Tijuana facility is the largest facility outside of the U.S. and in 2019 it was awarded the 2019 Shingo

prize. The 2019 Merit Medical overview describes aspects of the organization including leading with

humility, associate quality of life, quality management, and outward customer focus. Basing the

culture on the principles of the Shingo model, the company has systems and support that drive toward

self-actualization. As a result, 54% of the new hires are employee recommendations of family and

friends.

Succession planning and development are supported through accessible training and development

plans including certificate and degree programs as well as in-factory weekend skill classes. They also

have a partnership with a local University. Sixty associates were earning a diploma, degree, or skill

certification at the time of the application.

Merit Medical is heavily invested in quality of life for their associates. This is a commitment the

company made before opening their doors. Commitment to the quality of life for associates is manifest

in a Safety and Health program and an in-house clinic available 24 hours per day. A variety of

preventive and treatment services are made available to associates and direct family members

(Awards, 2020). The company provide transportation to work and subsidizes employee lunches (Merit

Medical, n.d.).

The company uses Shingo model principles to build on business results. Key performance indicators

and key behavioral indicators track accountability and performance. There are several other

organizational management methods interwoven into the business metrics and management, including
lean practices, True North, ISO Certification, and the Hoshin Process. This blending of multiple

models and framework demonstrate that one single model does not always fill an organization’s needs.

Pursuing the Shingo Prize was a goal from the beginning. All aspects of the Tijuana facility were

designed around the Shingo principles (Merit Medical, n.d.). This is an interesting situation where the

company did not have to go through a transformational process, rather they designed the organization,

processes, procedures, practices, and culture directly from the Shingo model.

The Shingo model prioritizes not only business results but assesses the extent to which the

management, processes, support systems, and improvement cycles are driving ideal behaviors

throughout the organization (The Shingo Institute, 2014). Merit Medical Tijuana has demonstrated

their ability to satisfy the four dimensions of the Shingo principles: Cultural enablers, Continuous

improvement, Enterprise alignment, and Results. Most notably the organization assures a safe

environment, develops people, assures quality at the source, aligns systems, and create value for the

customer. In addition to the Shingo Prize for the Tijuana facility, Merit Medical was also awarded

Sustainability Leadership 2019 from Business Intelligence Group, Green Business Award 2019, Utah

Manufacturer of the Year, and Utah Healthcare Hero.

 References

Awards. (2020). Retrieved from Shingo.org:

https://usu.app.box.com/s/zkosmzbv1ke4eu6fsngbt2yk9pg916y9

Merit Medical. (n.d.). Merit Medical Tijuana Receives Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence.

Retrieved from Merit.com: https://www.merit.com/articles/merit-medical-tijuana-receives-

shingo-prize-for-operational-excellence/

The Shingo Institute. (2014). Shingo Prize Assessment Criteria. Logan, UT: The Shingo Institute.