Understanding Performance Measures

For any healthcare activity, three performance factors can be measured: structure, process, and outcome. Read the scenario below regarding a registration process and answer the questions that follow.

Upon arrival for treatment, the patient reports to the hospital registration area. The patient completes the paperwork, is asked to provide an insurance identification card, if insured, and a copy is made for their file. Often, patients do register on-line before the date of hospital admission to facilitate the registration process. After the registration process is complete, an identification bracelet including the patient's name and doctor's name, is placed around the patient's wrist. Before any medical care is provided, the patient is asked to sign a consent form agreeing to treatment.

1. Identify one structure measure, one process measure, and one outcome measure that could be used to evaluate the above hospital admission process.

2. For each measure you selected to evaluate the hospital admission process, describe the measure in fundamental terms - i.e. what are the numerator and denominator? If the measure does not require a numerator and denominator, explain why.

3. Suppose the manager of the hospital registration area wants to gather data to report performance results for the measures you have chosen. List a data source that you could use to gather information for your structure measure, your process measure, and your outcome measure. (should be 3 separate sources ) Why did you select this data source?