Performance indicators in community health: development of a process. Final project report.

Abstract

The South Australian Performance Indicators in Community Health project was a joint initiative between the Department of Human Services and Community Health Services in South Australia. The report describes the findings of the project undertaken in 2000-2001 to develop and trial a process for the identification of meaningful and robust performance indicators. The report outlines the context of the project and some of the challenges for community health as identified in the performance indicator literature. The project activities are described in detail, with appendices containing worksheets and examples of outcomes from the project's work. The findings are discussed in terms of the complexity of community health context, the nature of performance indicators, resources, data collection systems, the potential for transferability of performance indicators across services and language/cultural appropriateness. Reflection by the working group on the project's outcomes led to some recommendations and a refined process for identifying and trialling performance indicators.