How technological innovations in performance measurement systems overcome management challenges in healthcare

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to analyse how technological innovations in performance measurement systems make it possible to overcome some of the challenges that public healthcare organizations face where management and control are concerned. The changes that could be applied to the performance measurement system of healthcare organisations were analysed together with an evaluation of the responses developed in order to achieve these changes.Design/methodology/approachThe paper contains an in-depth case-study of a public university hospital which utilises an innovative information system.FindingsThe case-study highlights how technological innovations in performance measurement systems impact the management and monitoring information system in a public university hospital, through the implementation of a multidimensional management dashboard.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of this paper is that only one case-study is analysed, albeit in depth, while it would be interesting to consider more public university hospitals.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights the fundamental role of middle management in change processes in the healthcare sector.Originality/valueThe case-study highlights how critical the active involvement of middle management is in performance measurement and management, and how this is achieved thanks to the adoption of a simple, clear method which ensures comprehensible communication of the objectives, as well as the measurement of performance by means of radar plots.