[Primary care specific scorecards as management tools]

Abstract

Introduction: Specific Scorecards are a key element to improve strategic lines aimed at enhancing intermediate health outcomes. Their implementation, involving professionals, requires identifying indicators linked to the outcomes of healthcare actions that the scientific literature may endorse. In addition, the inclusion of objectives that can be defined by parameterized by indicators of intermediate results in the health centre program contract, conveys the relevance of health actions and their impact on health.

Objective: To describe the design, development and outcomes of the specific scorecards of indicators of intermediate health outcomes in the Primary Care information system (eSOAP) in order to promote the involvement of professionals in strategic management from clinical management.

Methods: Phase 1: description of the process (preparation and publication of 147 indicators, 46 of them of chronicity). Phase 2: observational descriptive study on the use of professionals and managers and data on the intermediate health outcomes obtained.

Results: A total of 268,849 reports were generated in 2017, with 35,835 reports of specific balanced scorecard (20%) being downloaded in just 6 months. One-quarter (25%) of the indicators of the Centre program contract are intermediate results. The percentage of diabetic patients controlled was 39.2%, and has improved significantly (P<.05) in 5 years.

Discussion: The specific scorecards with indicators of intermediate outcomes linked to strategic lines and their inclusion in the program contracts enables professionals to become involved in clinical and strategic management and improves the decision making of professionals and managers.

Keywords: Atención Primaria; Clinical management; Comparative effectiveness; Cuadro de mando; Efectividad; Gestión clínica; Gestión estratégica; Primary Health Care; Scorecard; Strategic management.