Indicators and criteria for efficiency and quality in public hospitals: A performance evaluation model

In many countries, the public sector is currently characterised by the need to improve its performance. The implementation of performance measurement systems is essential to generate better results, especially in the public health sector. In healthcare practice, clinical indicators are part of a performance measurement system, and are a way of assessing the quality of care by investigating the frequency of specific results. Through a clinical audit process, this study aims to define the criteria and key performance indicators for minimally invasive endovascular surgical treatment. This type of treatment is chosen because aortic pathologies are an important European issue in cardiovascular surgery. A model of criteria and indicators used in a large public Italian hospital was constructed in order to assess the level of performance achieved with this service.