Performance audit in the selection and management of personnel in the physician's office laboratory

The performance audit does not contain any startling news about human performance. It does, however, provide a unique perspective from which to view human performance. It asks the user to relate systematically each part to the whole, to test a hypothesis against actual data, and to formulate solutions based on a strong rationale. We have of necessity described this process very briefly, suggesting how specific tools may be derived for immediate use in the office laboratory. We conclude with a reminder that much useful information in the performance audit can be captured by constructing three tables with the following headings: 1. Job Description, Requirements, Standards; 2. Requirements, Standards, Deficiencies, Potential Impact; 3. Deficiencies, Possible Causes, Possible Solutions. Thus, the performance audit can provide useful information in regard to selecting personnel (item 1), monitoring the performance of laboratory personnel (item 2), and trouble-shooting specific problems (item 3).