title: Building an idealized measurement system to improve clinical office practice performance.
abstract: The aim of this article is to introduce key concepts and approaches for building a better practice-based measurement. Physicians are being challenged to produce measurably higher quality of services, lower costs, and better clinical outcomes to remain viable. In the absence of provider-driven practice improvements and independent measurement systems, office practices will remain dependent on performance data from external forces as drivers of change. Three key questions will be addressed in our pursuit of better measurement systems for continuous improvement and competitive advantage: (1) What do we want a measurement system to tell us in the first place? (2) What might an idealized measurement system look like if we had one? (3) What are some of the challenges that office practices face in closing the gap between building an idealized measurement system and the current state of office practice measurement?
authors.affiliation: Idealized Design of Clinical Office Practice Project, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wasson
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D007255:Information Services; D008330:Management Audit / Q000379:methods*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States