Scorecards drive better performance.
The evidence is clear that solid feedback in the form of a measurement scorecard enhances performance—at all levels and across all organizational units.
When people and groups throughout an enterprise know how they are doing and what needs improving, they do better.
Want to be a better leader and create a better organization? Create and transparently share with your staff a scorecard of the key metrics that define success in your healthcare organization.
Here is an example of what I mean by "scorecard" from emergency medicine. LWOB = the percentage of patients that presented to the ER but left without being seen.
Scorecards must follow the "10-foot/3-second rule."
From 10 feet away, and within three seconds, anyone seeing the scorecard should be able to tell if the organization is better this month than it was last month. The size and simplicity of the scorecard must enable any hospital leader, physician, or staff member to—in an instant—know if they are “winning” at their improvement efforts.
After working with more than 250 healthcare organizations, I know that in the end, a simple scorecard makes the meaning of success tangible for the people in your organization. (For three more examples of scorecards that meet the 10-foot Rule, go here.
I first learned the importance of data and the 10-foot/3-second rule as a competitive shooter. We used scorecards to meticulously track our hits and misses during practice and competitions, allowing us to measure our accuracy and performance over time. Our scorecards helped us analyze techniques, refine tactics, and hone improvement strategies. Over time, these scorecards provided a clear picture of progress and areas for improvement. Scorecards motivated us to work harder at improvement. Seeing incremental progress on "paper" boosted confidence and drove a sense of achievement, pushing us to strive for even better results with each session.
This cycle of tracking and improvement creates a clear path for growth and continuous development in any profession.
When the results of your effort are tangible, you do better.
I am completely convinced that using a simple scorecard will enable organizations to reach more patient safety and quality successes.
Bottom line? Measure it. Transparently share the measure. Follow the 10-foot/3-second rule. Do better.
Pretty simple, really.
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