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A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
Published on: November 9, 2016
Benchmarking in emergency health systems
Marcus P Kennedy1, Jacqueline Allen, Greg Allen
1Department of Emergency Medicine and Ambulatory Care, Angliss Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. marcus.kennedy@angliss.org.au
Abstract:
This paper discusses the role of benchmarking as a component of quality management. It describes the historical background of benchmarking, its competitive origin and the requirement in today's health environment for a more collaborative approach. The classical 'functional and generic' types of benchmarking are discussed with a suggestion to adopt a different terminology that describes the purpose and practicalities of benchmarking. Benchmarking is not without risks. The consequence of inappropriate focus and the need for a balanced overview of process is explored. The competition that is intrinsic to benchmarking is questioned and the negative impact it may have on improvement strategies in poorly performing organizations is recognized. The difficulty in achieving cross-organizational validity in benchmarking is emphasized, as is the need to scrutinize benchmarking measures. The cost effectiveness of benchmarking projects is questioned and the concept of 'best value, best practice' in an environment of fixed resources is examined.
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