Benchmark

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Assessment Description

Performance management is, ideally, an ongoing quality-assurance-based process. The process provides an organization, its employees, regulatory agencies, accreditors, and other stakeholders with a structured means to support and accomplish mutually identified strategic goals and objectives.

Assume the role of a newly-hired risk management officer for a hypothetical new allied health organization in your chosen career field. You and your team will need to develop the organization’s policies.

The first item you will create will be a performance management plan. The HIM Briefings (2019) article, which includes Lean, Six Sigma, or PDSA, is located in the topic Resources. Using the resources in HIM Briefings or another qualified framework, craft a proposal (1,250-1,500 words) for a performance management plan for the new organization that includes the following:

· Organizational Goals: Provide a statement of the organization’s goals regarding workplace safety, risk management, or quality improvement; select one area, and develop five goals for that specific area.

· Outline of Organizational Objectives: Outline and provide a brief evaluation of specific objectives that support the organizational goals you previously identified, to include the use of an interdisciplinary approach to patient care.

· Rationale: Evaluate the use of the interdisciplinary approach to patient care in the performance management plan. What provisions were planned in order to include this approach effectively?

· Quality and Process Outcomes: Describe the importance of quality and process outcomes within one’s scope of practice.

· Summary of Relevant Performance Measures: Summarize the steps and measures the new organization will adopt to measure performance. Consider (a) how well measures will align with the stated goals, (b) how these measures demonstrate the importance of quality and the relationship to positive health outcomes, (c) how the measures are able to be controlled by the organization (i.e., how the organization can affect change in this area), and (d) how the measures meet criteria related to reliability and validity, and are standardized.

· Performance Baseline: Determine a performance baseline for the measures selected. This will enable the organization to conduct comparisons of desired goals versus actual results over time.

· Performance Evaluation: Select one of three commonly accepted methods to measure provider quality. Summarize the features and why it applies best to the organization. Refer to the assigned reading, “The Measurement of Health Care Performance: A Primer from the Council of Medical Specialty Societies.”

· Definition of Success: Define what success means to the organization. Now that you have chosen measures to assess organizational performance, identify what success means to the organization; otherwise, you are chasing a moving target. Be explicit in the level of performance you see as acceptable. This will change as an organization grows, but you need to start somewhere in order to get anywhere.

Provide a minimum of three scholarly resources from the readings, qualified websites, or the GCU Library in order to complete this assignment successfully.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Course Resources if you need assistance.

Benchmark Information: This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies and professional standards: BS – Health Sciences 1.4: Evaluate the use of an interdisciplinary approach to patient care. 5.3: Describe the importance of quality and process outcomes within one’s scope of practice.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Step-by-Step Guide for Writing the Performance Management Plan

1. Organizational Goals

Select One Area: Workplace safety, risk management, or quality improvement.
Develop 5 Goals: These should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Example for quality improvement:
1. Reduce patient wait times in all clinics by 20% within 12 months.
2. Achieve 95% compliance with patient safety protocols across all departments.
3. Decrease medication errors by 15% over the next year.
4. Increase interdisciplinary collaboration on care plans by 25% within 6 months.
5. Implement a continuous quality improvement program in all units within 3 months.

2. Organizational Objectives

Outline Objectives: Provide actionable steps to achieve each goal.
Evaluation: Briefly evaluate each objective in terms of feasibility and expected outcomes.
Interdisciplinary Approach: Incorporate multiple departments (nursing, HIM, allied health professionals) in achieving objectives. Example: Using team huddles to review patient care plans enhances coordination and reduces errors.

3. Rationale for Interdisciplinary Approach

Explain why interdisciplinary care is crucial for performance management.
Describe planned provisions: cross-training staff, multidisciplinary rounds, shared electronic health records, and structured communication protocols.
Discuss how collaboration improves patient outcomes and reduces risks.

4. Quality and Process Outcomes

Define quality outcomes relevant to your area (e.g., patient satisfaction, error reduction, compliance with best practices).
Define process outcomes: workflow efficiency, documentation accuracy, adherence to policies.
Explain their importance in improving overall healthcare delivery within your scope of practice.

5. Performance Measures

Steps to Measure Performance:
1. Identify key metrics aligned with goals (e.g., medication error rates, patient readmissions, staff compliance).
2. Develop data collection methods (EHR reports, surveys, audits).
3. Assign responsible departments for tracking metrics.
Evaluation of Measures:
- Alignment with goals
- Demonstrates impact on quality and positive health outcomes
- Controllable by the organization
- Meets reliability and validity standards

6. Performance Baseline

Establish current performance levels (e.g., current average patient wait time, existing safety compliance rates).
Use these baselines to compare against future performance and track improvement over time.

7. Performance Evaluation Method

Choose One Method: Examples include Balanced Scorecard, Six Sigma, or PDSA cycles.
Summary: Explain why this method is suitable for your organization.
- Reference: The Measurement of Health Care Performance: A Primer from the Council of Medical Specialty Societies.
Discuss how it measures provider quality and links to organizational goals.

8. Definition of Success

Explicitly define what constitutes acceptable performance.
Include measurable targets (e.g., 95% staff compliance with safety protocols, 10% reduction in patient wait times).
Emphasize that success benchmarks can evolve but starting with clear targets is essential.

9. Scholarly Resources

Minimum of 3 scholarly resources, for example:
1. HIM Briefings (2019) – Lean, Six Sigma, PDSA frameworks
2. Council of Medical Specialty Societies – The Measurement of Health Care Performance: A Primer
3. Peer-reviewed journals or GCU Library resources on risk management and quality improvement

10. Formatting Tips

Word count: 1,250–1,500 words
Use APA Style for in-text citations and references
Include headings for each section to align with rubric
Proofread for clarity, grammar, and formatting before submission
Submit via LopesWrite to check for originality

Suggested Resource Links:

HIM Briefings – Lean, Six Sigma, PDSA (search via GCU Library)
Council of Medical Specialty Societies – Performance Measurement Primer
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – Quality Improvement

Performance Management Plan for a New Allied Health Organization