Hospice New Zealand has engaged Australian benchmarking firm, QPS Benchmarking, to collect and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) for 26 hospices across New Zealand.

These KPIs clearly demonstrate the quality of care and support provided to those with a life limiting illness (and to their families). For the first time, "quality" is measurable and performance metrics are readily available to Hospice NZ and its members.

As a result, hospices can objectively compare their quality of care. More importantly, they will be able to continuously improve their care, by measuring quality, refining their work practices, and then measuring again.

Although the nationwide rollout has only just been announced, it follows on the heels of a successful 12-month trial, involving 25 NZ hospices. In the trial, participants collected information and submitted it to QPS online. QPS then cleansed and collated the data, and made it available to all participants as online reports. These reports allowed participants to compare their performance against each other, and to view service trends over time.

"The value of the QPS Benchmarking project is really beginning to shine through," said Hospice Taranaki NZ CEO, Kevin Nielsen, "We can now look at our organisation more critically across a range of core functions. We are able to analyse and compare service delivery, patient satisfaction, human resource, financial and fundraising performance. We can more accurately identify strengths and weaknesses. We can also see what best practice looks like. These tools are already assisting us with longer term planning."

Participants of the trial reported finding the data collection and submission process very easy to manage, and this feedback was supported by research undertaken by the University of Auckland, at three Auckland hospices, which showed the patient survey tools were acceptable and usable to both patients and staff.

In addition to guiding strategic goals and identifying practice improvements, the QPS Benchmarking project will minimise the duplication of data collection and reporting required of hospices, because the KPIs are aligned with the HISO National Specialist Palliative Care Data Definitions (currently in draft).

Hospice New Zealand is a national organisation whose primary goal is to give voice to the interests, view and concerns of New Zealand's 35 hospices, so that all New Zealanders receive the best possible care at the end of their lives.

QPS Benchmarking is a leading provider of benchmarking products and services in Australia and New Zealand, with over 60 years of combined experience in health, aged care management, quality improvement and business excellence.

For further information, please contact:

Adam Holcroft

QPS Benchmarking General Manager

Telephone: +61 2 4229 588

Email: Adam Holcroft