BENCHBOOK SCORING GUIDELINES

The Benchbook lays out the new standards for quality of care that PhilHealth will use for accrediting hospitals into the National Health Insurance Program. Shift from the old standards that govern only inputs to health care into the new standards that also evaluate processes and outcomes of care. The Benchbook is divided into

Seven Performance Areas:

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) Patient Rights and Organizational Ethics, Patient Care, Leadership and Management, Human Resource Management, Information Management, Safe Practice and Environment and Improving Performance.

Each performance area is divided into sub-areas except for Patient Rights and Improving Performance. The subareas are broken down into several standards with one or several criteria to each standard; one or several indicators to each criterion; and one or several evidence to each indicator. Goal: declares the overall intent of the standards under it; picture of the desired-for situation targeted by a performance improvement program Standard: delineates the best possible condition that should exist in the organization for it to attain quality performance; sets the maximum achievable performance expectations for activities that affect the quality of care Criterion: lays down specific actions that need to be done to meet the standard

 Indicators: measurable variables or characteristics that can be used to determine the degree of adherence to a standard or achievement of quality goals Core indicators : characteristics that should be present for a hospital to function as a facility providing care, treatment and diagnosis in a manner that is safe and efficient for the patients and its staff Evidence: proof of compliance to the indicator which may be: document, interview or observation