Data, facts and instruments on the German health system
What it’s all about
The benchmarking function of the Practice Management Comparison© makes it possible to scale the qualitative descriptions of the work of a medical practice and to compare them with objective representative metrics. In this way, it is possible not only to record the type and intensity of the regulations used to manage the practice, but also their effects, so that a 360-degree view of the practice’s work is created. Key performance indicators (KPIs) can be derived from the comparison. An application example for the action area „Organization“ illustrates the potential of this advanced technique.
The Organizing Quality Score (OQS)
The QQS indicates the extent and intensity of organizational tools, regulations and behaviors necessary for smoothly functioning practice operations. The IFABS Betriebsvergleich-Tracker© for GP, specialist and dental practice management shows that
of OQS in German medical practices is on average only 41 %. This means that 59 % of the essential structures and processes are not or only insufficiently applied.
Since the indicator – as described – results from a standardized qualitative description of the organization, the necessary improvements can be inferred at any time when the indicator is determined at practice level.
The professional group comparison
This best practice score is supplemented in a Practice Management Comparison© for orientation purposes by comparison with the specialty group KPI, which provides an insight into the organizational reality of practices in the same specialty.
The activation threshold
The 60% threshold is added as a further evaluation measure. A best practice score that is below (above) this threshold indicates that the productivity and efficiency of a practice’s operations are significantly limited (well aligned), as is employee motivation.
Output can also be measured
From an external perspective, the specific impact of the organizational score can be determined by the associated Patient Care Quality Score (PCQS). It is calculated from the patients‘ satisfaction with the organization in relation to their requirements.
For example, if the PCQS is 31%, as in general practices, this means that 69% of the requirements are not met by the existing organization.
Navigating over time
By monitoring the values over time, practice owners can identify both positive and negative changes in practice work and derive possible reinforcements or countermeasures. Such a procedure is important for every specialist group and for practices of every size, because it makes it possible to make the complexity of practice management transparent and to visualize it in its performance together with quality and development.
The practice management dashboard
Just as for the organization, KPIs can be determined for all other action areas of practice management as well as their subgroups and summarized in a dashboard. This dashboard enables practice owners to manage and develop their practice management in a targeted, simple and sustainable manner.
Fast data collection
Data collection for the Practice Management Comparison is done using a validated, easy-to-use system that can be implemented without the need for an on-site consultant. It takes a doctor a good 30 minutes to complete his or her documentation document, 20 minutes each for staff, and the whole process is supplemented by a patient survey for a maximum of 100 patients.
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