Performance Indicators

The World Health Organisation defines Performance Indicators (PIs) as: "A performance measurement tool, screen or flag that is used as a guide to monitor, evaluate, and improve the quality of services. Indicators relate to structure, process and outcomes."

Performance Indicators

In general PIs provide organisations with a quantifiable mechanism for monitoring all aspects of its care and service. Performance Indicators (PI) are used in areas from care provision to human resources to finance.

The use of PIs is central to effective governance systems. How else can we be accountable other than through measurement?

The Irish Health Services Accreditation Board (IHSAB) state that performance indicators are those measures that inform an organisation on its current performance status, how it is performing in comparison to others, where it wants to go and where value can be added.

These measures then assist in improving performance, management decision making, review of financial management resource allocation, striving to achieve desired outcomes and deciding on and communicating priorities.

Health Care Informed works with organisations to determine what are its key indicators and how can it measure them. We work with organisations to ensure their strategic intent aligns with what is actually happening within the organisation and that measures are in place to validate this.

A set of indicators for an organisation varies between 6-18 depending on the complexity of the organisation. The structure of each of these indicators is based upon:

  • Rationale
  • Potential Source
  • Type of measure
  • Numerator
  • Denominator
  • Target
  • Sampling

Let HCI assist your organisation in determining which indicators you need and how to use them!

For more information on performance indicators contact us today info@hci.ie