Measurement- A tool for improvement
There are three main reasons why we measure are:
- research,
- judgement, and
- improvement
Measurement can show us a number of important pieces of information:
- how well the current process is performing
- whether a specific aim is reached
- how much variation is present in the data/process
- whether the tests of change have resulted in improvement
- whether a change has been sustained.
Measurement for improvement simply means where a few specific measures, linked to the objectives and aims, demonstrate whether the changes are making improvements or not.
The three types of measurement used in improvement work are called outcome, process and balancing measures.
- Outcome measures reflect the impact on the work and show the end result of the improvement work e.g., rate of infection cases.
- Process measures reflect the way systems and processes work to deliver the desired outcome. E.g., Number of people compliance with proper hand washing procedure
- Balancing measures reflect what may be happening elsewhere in the system as a result of the change. This impact may be positive or negative.
It is not necessary to be sophisticated when measuring progress. It’s crucial to build a change that works and can be promoted by tracking a few measures over time and presenting the data appropriately.