Benchmarking for Public Hospital Management – Research Findings

Abstract

Background. Benchmarking is a conceptual framework of effective management policy that allows for organisational improvements. It has been successfully implemented in enterprises and is more and more often applied at public institutions, including health care institutions. Research aims. The aim of this article is to present to what extent benchmarking may be applied at public hospitals. Methodology. The survey method and the research instrument in the form of an individually prepared and customized questionnaire was used. The research was carried out among the management boards of 35 public hospitals in the Lubelskie voivodeship, which constitutes 90% of the statistical population. The financial standing of the entity in the studied group served the purpose of an additional characteristic piece of information. Key findings. The research findings have allowed to determine how many hospitals in the studied voivodeship use benchmarking, what is the dominant type, in what areas it is implemented and how frequently the healthcare facilities use benchmarking to improve activities of a given organization. The most frequently used types of benchmarking in public hospitals have been distinguished as: internal and competitive benchmarking. The main motivations to implement this conceptual framework in healthcare facilities are connected with both qualitative and economic aspects