BENCHMARKING APPLIED TO HEALTH-CARE

Background: An operational definition of benchmarking as developed at Xerox is ''finding and implementing best practices'' Although benchmar king has widely spread throughout industry, it is only just beginning to find application in health care. Types of benchmarking: In internal benchmarking, similar internal functions serve as pilot sites for con ducting benchmarking. Competitive benchmarking, the comparison of a wo rk process with that of the best competitor, reveals the performance m easure levels to be surpassed. Functional benchmarking compares a work function to that of the functional leader. Generic process benchmarki ng compares the organization's basic business processes. Adapting benc hmarking to health care: Benchmarking can target business, support, an d clinical functions. For clinical functions, there are many potential , ready-made networks of people with similar problems and interests. B enchmarking support functions is often difficult because these functio ns can provide the greatest competitive edge in the purely business se nse. A grassroots benchmarking example: The ten-step Xerox benchmarkin g model is illustrated with a fictional case study involving improveme nt in the work processes associated with outpatient and inpatient biop sies. Conclusion: The principles of benchmarking are simple, and the b enchmarking process is not complicated. Benchmarking is a structured f ramework for pursuing worthwhile goals in an organized way.