Purpose – This paper sets out to contrast the ubiquitous, globalizing influence of new public management (NPM) with an alternative approach more attuned to the local needs of communities, especially those with health and economic problems in less‐developed countries. The Ugandan...

Purpose – To review the application of the principles of benchmarking to the field of laboratory medicine. Design/methodology/approach – Review of the literature on performance management techniques employed in healthcare provision, and specifically in laboratory medicine, including...

Purpose – The paper aims to outline benchmarking and performance monitoring practice developed by the New Zealand Health Information Service at a diagnosis‐related group (DRG) level. Design/methodology/approach – The indicators are calculated from the routine hospital discharge data in the...

Purpose – This paper seeks to describe the New Zealand Ministry of Health District Health Board (DHB) Mental Health Service Profile, which for the first time compares performance on a number of quality indicators for the populations of 21 DHBs. Design/methodology/approach – The background,...

Purpose – The aim of the study is to examine the feasibility of comparing hospitals internationally and to highlight some of the barriers. Design/methodology/approach – Comparative analysis of anonymised patient‐level data from hospitals in New Zealand and the UK. Findings – Comparisons...

Purpose – This paper sets out to evaluate the potential of financial performance benchmarking as an expenditure control tool for a national pathology service comprising both public and private service providers. Design/methodology/approach – Primary data were provided by direct consultation...