title: Inadequate performance measures affecting practices, organizations and outcomes of Ontario's family health teams.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emphasis on quantity as the main performance measure may be posing challenges for Family Health Team (FHT) practices and organizational structures. This study asked: What healthcare practices and organizational structures are encouraged by the FHT model?
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory qualitative design guided by discourse analysis was used. This paper presents findings from in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with seven policy informants and 29 FHT leaders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants report that performance measures value quantity and are not inclusive of the broad scope of attributes that comprise primary healthcare. Performance measures do not appear to be accurately capturing the demand for healthcare services, or the actual amount of services being provided by FHTs. RESULTS suggest that unintended consequences of performance measures may be posing challenges to access and health outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is recommended that performance measures be developed and used to measure, support and encourage FHTs to achieve the goals of PHC.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Renison University College, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
authors.forename: Rachelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ashcroft
mesh_terms: D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care