What are the important dimensions of performance in health care?

Quality

The degree to which health care services improve or maintain the health of individuals and populations. Quality has many dimensions, including:

* Effectiveness: The extent to which health care interventions achieve their intended objectives.

* Safety: The extent to which health care interventions are free from harm.

* Patient-centeredness: The extent to which health care services are respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values.

* Timeliness: The extent to which health care interventions are provided when needed.

* Efficiency: The extent to which health care services are provided in a cost-effective manner.

* Equity: The extent to which health care services are provided in a fair and just manner.

Access

The extent to which individuals and populations have the ability to obtain necessary health care services. Access has many dimensions, including:

* Availability: The extent to which health care services are physically and financially accessible to individuals and populations.

* Affordability: The extent to which individuals and populations can afford to pay for health care services.

* Acceptability: The extent to which health care services are culturally and linguistically appropriate for individuals and populations.

Cost

The total cost of health care services, including both direct costs (such as the cost of medical care, prescription drugs, and transportation) and indirect costs (such as the cost of lost productivity and time spent caring for a sick loved one).

Health Outcomes

The health status of individuals and populations, including both physical and mental health. Health outcomes have many dimensions, including:

* Mortality: The rate of death from all causes.

* Morbidity: The rate of illness or injury from all causes.

* Disability: The extent to which individuals are unable to perform their usual activities due to illness or injury.

* Quality of life: The extent to which individuals are satisfied with their overall health and well-being.

Health Care Workforce

The number and mix of health care professionals who are available to provide health care services. The health care workforce has many dimensions, including:

* Number of health care professionals: The total number of health care professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals.

* Mix of health care professionals: The proportion of doctors, nurses, and other allied health professionals in the health care workforce.

* Education and training of health care professionals: The level of education and training that health care professionals have received.

* Experience of health care professionals: The amount of experience that health care professionals have had in providing health care services.

Health Care Facilities

The physical and organizational resources that are used to provide health care services. Health care facilities have many dimensions, including:

* Number of health care facilities: The total number of health care facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities.

* Type of health care facilities: The type of health care services that are provided by each health care facility.

* Location of health care facilities: The location of health care facilities in relation to the communities that they serve.

Health Care Financing

The way that health care services are paid for. Health care financing has many dimensions, including:

* Public funding: The amount of money that is spent on health care by governments.

* Private funding: The amount of money that is spent on health care by individuals and families.

* Health insurance: The type of health insurance that individuals and families have.

* Cost-sharing: The amount of money that individuals and families pay for health care services out-of-pocket.