Exploring the Divide between Output and Outcome Measures in Health Care

Performance assessment plays a crucial role in providing policymakers and governing bodies with timely and relevant information to monitor the quality of health care systems. However, scholars are not consistent in discussing the attributes and the effects of performance assessment in health care. This article aims at providing a synthesis of scientific evidence in the field of performance measurement in the health sector to explore the paradigm shift from output to outcome. The transition to outcome measurement turns out to be an unresolved issue. Nonetheless, it encourages the reconceptualization of performance measurement as a crucial communication tool between health care organizations and their stakeholders.