Title: A proposal for a centralised patient record database: the need to identify patient data elements to measure costs, clinical outcomes and benchmarking

Authors: Kevin J. Leonard, Catherine N. Kelly

Addresses: University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health Administration, 12 Queens Park Crescent West, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada. Wilfrid Laurier University, School of Business and Economics, 75, University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Abstract: Although health care industry benchmarking is a feasible and worthwhile objective, the lack of consistent and accessible data makes it extremely difficult to do any reasonable comparisons. Therefore, this paper concentrates on the first phase of research pertaining to the identification of data measures and information requirements solely. We conclude with an investigation into whether the creation of a centralised database is a necessary and sufficient condition to begin benchmarking in the health industry. Future research will focus on these areas.

Keywords: health care benchmarking; accreditation requirements; TQM; total quality management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1998.002617

International Journal of Technology Management, 1998 Vol.15 No.3/4/5, pp.391-401

Published online: 29 Jul 2003 *

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