title: Metrics for Success: Strategies for Enabling Core Facility Performance and Assessing Outcomes.
abstract: Core Facilities are key elements in the research portfolio of academic and private research institutions. Administrators overseeing core facilities (core administrators) require assessment tools for evaluating the need and effectiveness of these facilities at their institutions. This article discusses ways to promote best practices in core facilities as well as ways to evaluate their performance across 8 of the following categories: general management, research and technical staff, financial management, customer base and satisfaction, resource management, communications, institutional impact, and strategic planning. For each category, we provide lessons learned that we believe contribute to the effective and efficient overall management of core facilities. If done well, we believe that encouraging best practices and evaluating performance in core facilities will demonstrate and reinforce the importance of core facilities in the research and educational mission of institutions. It will also increase job satisfaction of those working in core facilities and improve the likelihood of sustainability of both facilities and personnel.
authors: 1 Office for Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA; 2 Office for Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA; 3 Office for Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA; 4 Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA; 5 Research Programs, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA; 6 Research Core Facilities Program, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA.
authors: Paula B
authors: PB
authors: Turpen
authors: 1 Office for Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA; 2 Office for Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA; 3 Office for Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA; 4 Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA; 5 Research Programs, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA; 6 Research Core Facilities Program, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA.
authors: Philip E
authors: PE
authors: Hockberger
authors: 1 Office for Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA; 2 Office for Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA; 3 Office for Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA; 4 Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA; 5 Research Programs, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA; 6 Research Core Facilities Program, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA.
authors: Susan M
authors: SM
authors: Meyn
authors: 1 Office for Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA; 2 Office for Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA; 3 Office for Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA; 4 Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA; 5 Research Programs, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA; 6 Research Core Facilities Program, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA.
authors: Connie
authors: C
authors: Nicklin
authors: 1 Office for Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA; 2 Office for Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA; 3 Office for Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA; 4 Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA; 5 Research Programs, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA; 6 Research Core Facilities Program, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA.
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Tabarini
authors: 1 Office for Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA; 2 Office for Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA; 3 Office for Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA; 4 Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA; 5 Research Programs, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA; 6 Research Core Facilities Program, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA.
authors: Julie A
authors: JA
authors: Auger
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans
keywords: ABRF; evaluation; standards