Title: Measuring performance
Course: Health Management, Ethics and Research - Ethiopia (Full)

Measuring performance

The second step in the control process is the accurate measurement of performance (Figure 5.7). You should measure your actual performance and compare it with the standards you have set. Quantitative measurements should be done in cases where standards have been set in numerical terms; for example 500 pregnant women should attend your antenatal care service this year. This will make measuring performance quite easy and simple. In other cases, the performance can be measured in terms of qualitative factors, for example, how well the model household training went.

Figure 5.7 Accurate record keeping is always important when monitoring and controlling performance. (Photo: Henk van Stokkom)

Which of these performance measurements is quantitative?

1. 16 couples had HIV testing before marriage.
2. 326 ITNs (insecticide treated bed nets) were distributed in the kebele.
3. All the women who came for antenatal care gave positive feedback.

Show answer

a. and b. are quantitative measurements because they have numbers attached to them. c. is qualitative because it tells us about the quality of the service that has been provided.