Performance measurement for community health services: opportunities and challenges

This paper presents findings from a study that investigated performance measurement for primary health care services delivered by the community health sector, and assessed the effectiveness and value of a performance measurement approach in the evaluation of these services. Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders in South Australia. The findings indicate that three major steps are needed to move forward in the use of performance measurement in the community health sector. These steps are i) development of a policy and strategy statement for community health, ii) identification of performance domains and indicators, and iii) development of appropriate data systems. (author abstract)