Hospital management decision support: a balanced scorecard approach

Hospital management teams receive voluminous data from a wide variety of sources, but are unable to distill the essential data they require to make good decisions. We have used a methodology, which helps teams define and use important management data coupled with an information system that makes this data accessible. Results of our evaluation indicate that the process of developing a Balanced Scorecard indicator system helps management teams to define meaningful strategic objectives and measurable performance indicators. The framework combined with the information acts as an integrating force, providing a shared understanding of the unit's goals. We conclude that a customized decision support system, which integrates multiple measures in a balanced Scorecard framework, is a powerful tool for enabling complex decision making by a management team.