Designing and implementing measurement suites: screening, assessment, outcomes evaluation and service benchmarking

In recent project work the CHSD, in conjunction with other collaborating centres, has developed measurement suites for screening, assessment, outcomes evaluation and benchmarking for a range of government programs. When information on the costs of services can be linked to reliable estimates of client need, then there is a classification basis that will give more powerful applications of the same routinely collected data. The CHSD has been involved in establishing and operating the Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC), the Palliative Care Outcomes Centre (PCOC) has also worked closely with the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Casemix Collection Network (AMHOCCN), and these initiatives have allowed benchmarking for facilities in ways that control for patient variation. This workshop will focus on the processes that have been undertaken in development of suitable measurement suites for these purposes, discuss the similarities and differences between these initiatives and outline the lessons learnt from these activities. Data interpretation and implications for service improvement will be discussed.