As another extremely important reform in our healthcare system, and with the aim of strengthening the management of Public Healthcare Institutions, for the first time in the healthcare system of the Republic of Macedonia we are introducing the Balanced Scorecard system or the system of Balanced performance indicators.
With this system, indicators of the healthcare system are first determined at the national level, divided into four areas: Patients, Clinical focus, Development/training and Finances. From these national indicators defined by the Ministry of Health, the indicators for the individual PHIs derive. Once the indicators are set for each PHI, the monitoring of their implementation will be every 6 months, and the final evaluation after 1 year.
The indicators in the area of Patients refer to hygiene in healthcare institutions, patient satisfaction with the behavior of healthcare workers, patient satisfaction with hospital food, patient waiting time for receiving a certain intervention, how quickly the healthcare institution responds to patient complaints.
The indicators in the area of Clinical focus refer to adherence to protocols for diagnostics and treatment that stem from evidence-based medicine, further reduction of infant mortality applicable in gynecological-obstetric healthcare institutions or departments, the use of the electronic appointment system My Term, achievements according to the performance evaluation system.
The indicators in the area of Development and training refer to new interventions or skills that should be mastered in PHIs, encouraging scientific work, retaining top talent, introducing or developing a quality system in the healthcare institution.
The indicators in the area of Finances refer to adherence to planned revenues and expenditures, which should prevent the generation of debts, encouraging the provision of income from other sources in order to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit in the management, adherence to planned costs for medicines and medical materials, compliance with the regulations in the part of financial operations.
Each indicator is assigned an appropriate weight, and the level of realization of the set indicators will determine whether the management of the respective PHI will be additionally financially rewarded or not. It is planned that the system will be upgraded year by year and that additional indicators will be introduced, the realization of which will be monitored.
In this way, we are introducing a transparent system in which all PHIs contribute to the realization of national indicators, that is, the national health strategy defined by the Ministry of Health. At the same time, we emphasize the role and responsibility of the management, enabling the expression of commitment, initiative, inventiveness, and above all honest and responsible work of the people who lead the PHIs.
The system enables a fair and objective assessment of the work of the PHI management, but also identification of the areas where further improvement is needed, both at the level of the healthcare institution and at the level of the entire country.
Contact person from the Ministry of Health:
Dr. Ivica Smokovski
ivica.smokovski@zdravstvo.gov.mk