ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the usefulness of the Balanced Scorecard in improving a hospital's management and delivery of health care at reduced cost without loss of quality. This paper describes an approach to designing and implementing a balanced scorecard system for measuring performance and productivity in a hospital setting. Specific measures of performance criteria are suggested as well as interpreted. Guidelines for measuring productivity are also suggested and interpreted. How these measures may be used by a hospital to improve its administration of health care while reducing costs and maintaining quality are described. This paper is a useful resource for hospital managers looking to improve their performance and productivity.
The balanced scorecard is a management tool that is widely used in the manufacturing industry. This paper fulfills a need by healthcare providers to obtain information on implementing a balanced scorecard system that specifically addresses issues unique to hospitals. This paper also addresses how to measure productivity within a balanced scorecard system.
Keywords: Hospital Performance, Balanced Scorecard, Hospital Productivity
1. INTRODUCTION
Performance measurement and productivity in health care are important issues to individuals and at a national level. Medical costs continue to rise and consume an increasing proportion of GNP worldwide. Cost pressures are producing dramatic changes in the health care environment. The government continues to search for ways to control spiraling costs, principally through caps on reimbursement rates, and at the same time the public seeks coverage for more services. Competition among health care providers is intense as alternative delivery systems grow and compete with public health facilities forcing all health care organizations to lower their costs, downsize, or close facilities (Gumbus et
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