US5365425A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for measuring management effectiveness
Assignee: United States Department of the Air Force
•
Filing: 1993-04-22
•
Granted: 1994-11-15
•
Expires: 2013-04-22
Abstract
Abstract A system and process are presented in which the factors of quality, cost, and access are integrated in such a manner as to provide a holistic description of the effectiveness of care at medical treatment facilities (MTFs). By using medical treatment data from a variety of computerized databases and incorporating patient perceptions of care through the use of surveys, the effectiveness of a particular facility's medical care can be compared to other medical care facilities. Deficiencies in performance are readily identified through this process, permitting goals and targets to be established that provide direction for medical administrators to enhance medical care at their treatment facilities. This approach is applicable to any set of medical care facilities, and also to just about any organized human endeavor involving quality, cost and access factors.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael J. Torma
- 👤 Bernard W. Galing
- 👤 Robert J. Palmer
- 👤 Suzanne K. S. West
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; G06Q10/063; G06Q10/0639; G06Q10/10; G16; G16H; G16H40/00; G16H40/20; G16H50/00; G16H50/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A process for evaluating effectiveness of service among a set of treatment facilities, said process comprising the steps of: gathering data quantifying quality, cost, and access performance characteristics of each of the treatment facilities; displaying the quality, cost and access performance characteristics simultaneously on a graph to indicate thereby strong and weak quality, cost and access performance characteristics; and identifying the strong and weak quality, cost and access performance characteristics of each treatment facility.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A process for evaluating effectiveness of service among a set of treatment facilities, said process comprising the steps of: gathering data quantifying quality, cost, and access performance characteristics of each of the treatment facilities; displaying the quality, cost and access performance characteristics simultaneously on a graph to indicate thereby strong and weak quality, cost and access performance characteristics; and identifying the strong and weak quality, cost and access performance characteristics of each treatment facility.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process, as defined in claim 1, wherein said displaying step is performed using a three-dimensional cube using a separate axis for the quality, cost and access performance characteristics.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
A process, as defined in claim 2, wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the quality performance characteristics such that: ##EQU4## where: i is a quality indicator; βis an adjustment factor based on an average severity indexing for a particular treatment facility; I is a quality indicator value at a particular treatment facility; μ is a mean value of the QIP indicator for all treatment facilities; σ is a standard deviation for a QIP indicator based on all treatment facilities; and ε is a patient perception adjustment factor (-0.1,0,0.1).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
A process, as defined in claim 3, wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the access performance characteristics such that: ##EQU5## where i indicates inhouse client; C is a preselected average daily client load; D is particular hospital average daily client; G is the goal for appointments; R is the number of available appointments; and ε is an adjustment for client perception of access (-0.1,0,0.1).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process, as defined in claim 4 wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the cost performance characteristics such that are given by: ##EQU6## where: i is an inhouse client indicator; β is an adjustment factor for case weight, severity, and a ratio of direct cost to total cost; I direct cost per catchment area employee; and μ is a benchmark cost against which facility costs are compared.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process, as defined in claim 3 wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the cost performance characteristics such that are given by: ##EQU7## where: i is an inhouse client indicator; β is an adjustment factor for case weight, severity, and a ratio of direct cost to total cost; I direct cost per catchment area employee; and μ is a benchmark cost against which facility costs are compared.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
A process, as defined in claim 2, wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the access performance characteristics such that: ##EQU8## where i indicates inhouse client; C is a preselected daily client load; D is a particular hospital average daily client; G is the goal for appointments; R is the number of available appointments; and ε is an adjustment for client perception of access (-0.1,0,0.1).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process, as defined in claim 7 wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the cost performance characteristics such that are given by: ##EQU9## where: i is an inhouse client indicator; β is an adjustment factor for case weight, severity, and a ratio of direct cost to total cost; I direct cost per catchment area employee; and μ is a benchmark cost against which facility costs are compared.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process, as defined in claim 2 wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the cost performance characteristics such that are given by: ##EQU10## where: i is an inhouse client indicator; β is an adjustment factor for case weight, severity, and a ratio of direct cost to total cost; I direct cost per catchment area employee; and μ is a benchmark cost against which facility costs are compared.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
93 words
A process, as defined in claim 1, wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the quality performance characteristics such that: ##EQU11## where: i is a quality indicator; βis an adjustment factor based on an average severity indexing for a particular treatment facility; I is a quality indicator value at a particular treatment facility; μ is a mean value of the QIP indicator for all treatment facilities; σ is a standard deviation for a QIP indicator based on all treatment facilities; and ε is a patient perception adjustment factor (-0.1,0,0.1).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
A process, as defined in claim 10, wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the access performance characteristics such that: ##EQU12## where i indicates inhouse client; C is a preselected average daily client load; D is a particular hospital average daily client; G is the goal for appointments; R is the number of available appointments; and ε is an adjustment for client perception of access (-0.1,0, 0.1).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process, as defined in claim 11 wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the cost performance characteristics such that are given by: ##EQU13## where: i is an inhouse client indicator; β is an adjustment factor for case weight, severity, and a ratio of direct cost to total cost; I direct cost per catchment area employee; and μ is a benchmark cost against which facility costs are compared.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process, as defined in claim 10 wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the cost performance characteristics such that are given by: ##EQU14## where: i is an inhouse client indicator; β is an adjustment factor for case weight, severity, and a ratio of direct cost to total cost; I direct cost per catchment area employee; and μ is a benchmark cost against which facility costs are compared.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
A process, as defined in claim 1, wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the access performance characteristics such that: ##EQU15## where i indicates inhouse client; C is one facility average daily client load; D is another facility daily client load; G is the goal for appointments; R is the number of available appointments; and ε is an adjustment for client perception of access (-0.1,0,0.1).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process, as defined in claim 14 wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the cost performance characteristics such that are given by: ##EQU16## where: i is an inhouse client indicator; β is an adjustment factor for case weight, severity, and a ratio of direct cost to total cost; I direct cost per catchment area employee; and μ is a benchmark cost against which facility costs are compared.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process, as defined in claim 1 wherein said displaying step is performed on said graph by charting the cost performance characteristics such that are given by: ##EQU17## where: i is an inhouse client indicator; β is an adjustment factor for case weight, severity, and a ratio of direct cost to total cost; I direct cost per catchment area employee; and μ is a benchmark cost against which facility costs are compared.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
80 words
A system for evaluating effectiveness of service among a set of treatment facilities, said system comprising: a means for gathering data quantifying quality, cost, and access performances characteristics of each of the treatment facilities; a means for displaying the quality, cost and access performance characteristics simultaneously on a graph to indicate thereby strong and weak quality, cost and access performance characteristics; and a means for identifying the strong and weak quality, cost and access performance characteristics of each treatment facility.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
80 words
A system for evaluating effectiveness of service among a set of treatment facilities, said system comprising: a means for gathering data quantifying quality, cost, and access performances characteristics of each of the treatment facilities; a means for displaying the quality, cost and access performance characteristics simultaneously on a graph to indicate thereby strong and weak quality, cost and access performance characteristics; and a means for identifying the strong and weak quality, cost and access performance characteristics of each treatment facility.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system, as defined in claim 17, wherein said displaying means comprises a computer monitor which is connected to a computer which is programmed to depict the quality, cost and access performance characteristics in a chart that simulates a three-dimensional cube which has a separate axis for the quality, cost, and access performance characteristics.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4667292A
Cited
US4893270A
Cited
US4858121A
Cited
US4975840A
Cited
US4992939A
Cited
US5128860A
Cited
US5117353A
Cited
US5063506A
Cited
US5212635A
Cited
US5280425A
Cited
US5216519A
Cited
US5278751A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-11-14 | 1998-05-16 | 1998-11-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-11-14 | 2002-05-16 | 2002-11-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-11-14 | 2006-05-16 | 2006-11-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |