An Analysis and Validation of the Proposed Standard Metric Set Created at the TRICARE Management Activity
Abstract
The services within the military Healthcare System have pursued metric set development to measure established goals and perceived information requirements. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs charged the TMA to streamline metric sets within the MHS and create a standard metric set. This study was initiated to validate the proposed standard metric set and solicit input from the field. In addition, the set was compared to performance measurement tools used in healthcare organizations in the private sector. A three art questionnaire submitted to respondents within the MHS exhibited no significant differences in opinion as to general strategic concepts and the utility of the standard set between services, professions, and levels of command. Of the 47 measures proposed, only six exhibited any significant difference in opinion. The differences were mainly between professions and levels of command. More interestingly were the similarities of opinion among the respondents. Satisfaction measures were highly rated with little variation. A Factor Analysis compared TMA's assigned domains for each measure to the underlying constructs exhibited in the completed questionnaires. The results portrayed opportunities for perverse incentives, unintended behavior changes, and improper categorization. A comparison with the private sector demonstrated issues pertaining to domains and possible metric additions. Also, metric sets at health plans were the most similar to the MHS. A high level of agreement exists among the respondents as to the need to streamline the metric set system and the proposed set's ability to meet the decision-making requirements of the MHS's healthcare leaders.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 13, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA420428
Entities
People
- Alejandro Lopez-duke