Human Resource Indicators and Health Service Performance

Public expectations and increasing financial pressures are requiring health services to adopt new approaches to the management of their resources, particularly human resources. This paper examines the use of human resource indicators (HRI) to support management-led initiatives to improve health service efficiency and effectiveness. It does so, first, through an examination of the role of management indicators. This is followed by a development of HRI which identifies the focus for HRI measurements; the types of indicators that support this focus; the use of HRI and their interpretation; and, finally, options in their presentation. The paper continues with an identification of a process for introducing the use of indicators into health services. The paper concludes by stressing the need to link the introduction of HRI with practical efforts to enhance management activities and purpose. Failure to do so will nullify the value of introducing HRI.