At 11:39 am +1000 15/8/06, Geoff Sayer wrote:
Hi David
Basically when you measure performance make sure every one understands
what's being measured, agrees on the measuring instrument being used and
sees the mutual benefits of measuring the outcomes... otherwise it won't
work.
I can share the time with you from my watch as we both agree that watches
tell the time... we both have a reason to know what the time is...
By the way: who said I wasn't trying to be misleading... :)
Geoff
But we are talking about the wrong people measuring the wrong things
for the wrong reasons.
Technically patients pay for GP services.
Medicare subsidises some of patients' healthcare expenses with many
notable exclusions.
Patients value the service they get by their own back pocket contribution.
Patients spread their perception by word of mouth - the major
marketing influence in our business.
Are patients/consumers really interested in the things the bean
counters want to measure?
Bureaucrats want to measure stuff to demonstrate utility from their
subsidies. Bureacrats are not interested in what patients do with
patient contributions apart from to use for political purposes. If
bureaucrats want to measure anything, they will. Does such
measurement have anything to do with "quality care" from a patient
perspective? Are they interested in what we say about what they
measure - not really.
If there is a scientific interest in measuring quality practice, then
it could be funded as normal academic research. RACGP research in
that direction has produced useful output. And the evidence of value
of various government health programs has been found wanting.
General practice could be more proactive.....
Ian.
--
Dr Ian R Cheong, BMedSc, FRACGP, GradDipCompSc, MBA(Exec)
Health Informatics Consultant, Brisbane, Australia
Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
(for urgent matters, please send a copy to my practice email as well:
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