Using Key Performance Indicators to Reduce Perceived Perioperative Complexity and Improve Patient Workflow

Abstract

This study examines the development and use of balanced scorecard metrics as key performance indicators within each stage of the perioperative process to enable business process management across the entire process to gauge performance and target improvement opportunities. The identification of existing limitations, potential capabilities, and the subsequent contextual understanding are contributing factors toward perioperative improvement. This paper identifies how dynamic technological activities of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis applied to internal and external organizational data can highlight complex relationships within integrated hospital processes to address root causes rather than symptoms and ultimately yield improved capabilities. This case study investigates how integrated information systems can identify, qualify, and quantify perioperative performance indicators to measure improvement based on a 157-month longitudinal study of a large, 1,157 registered-bed teaching hospital. The theoretical and practical implications and/or limitations of this study's results are also discussed with respect to practitioners and researchers alike.

Identifying potential predictable indicators for the management of tertiary hospitals

“…[4][5][6] In the hospital setting, performance dashboards have been previously developed and applied to collect process quality, satisfaction and financial perspectives. 7 These tools provide decision-relevant information through graphical user interfaces and performance indicators to enable managerial decision-making. 5,8 Currently, performance frameworks use Key Performance Indicators (KPI), defined as quantitative measures to identify gaps between current and desired outcomes and improve the decision-making process.…”

“…9 Dashboards and KPIs represent a significant advance in the visualisation and measurement of results while providing the opportunity to understand the root causes of performance gaps. 7 However, there is still room for improvement. hospitalisation and surgical processes (n = 8), infrastructure and resources (n = 2) and health outcomes and quality (n = 1).…”

“…In the hospital setting, performance dashboards have been previously developed and applied to collect process quality, satisfaction and financial perspectives 7 . These tools provide decision‐relevant information through graphical user interfaces and performance indicators to enable managerial decision‐making 5,8 .…”

“…Currently, performance frameworks use Key Performance Indicators (KPI), defined as quantitative measures to identify gaps between current and desired outcomes and improve the decision‐making process 9 . Dashboards and KPIs represent a significant advance in the visualisation and measurement of results while providing the opportunity to understand the root causes of performance gaps 7 . However, there is still room for improvement.…”