Why Benchmark?

Participating in the scheme can help you to achieve cost and efficiency savings targets, while gaining corporate assurance regarding the efficiency and quality of your pathology services. This is particularly important as pathology costs and demand pressures continue to rise year on year. 

The KUBS report on key benchmarks which will enable you to demonstrate to your Board, and to Commissioners, that the necessary governance and performance management controls are in place to ensure an appropriate and quality service is being delivered which represents value for money. The benchmarking report also helps by identifying strengths and weakness of pathology departments, by discipline, to contribute to annual planning discussions.  Peer comparison of key indicators with historic trends allows resources to be targeted at strategies to deliver continuous improvements in efficiency and quality as pressure to modernise and reconfigure pathology services continues.

Separate data collection and benchmark reports are offered for Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology/Blood Transfusion, Histopathology/Cytology, Immunology, Microbiology/Virology and Blood Sciences. The data is collected using an electronic questionnaire which draws on information which should be readily available from pathology managers and finance colleagues. 

The results are returned to departments via a Word document containing graphs and charts, supported with narrative from our specialist advisory panels highlighting key benchmarks of relevance to clinical and general managers.  Participants also receive analysis tools for each discipline which provide them with the ability to create custom charts with custom filters (e.g. only display labs of a similar size to their own) and our brand new fully customisable electronic dashboard. 

As part of the service a user group meeting is held annually to discuss the findings and consider suggestions for improving the benchmarking service further. Full training on usage of the analysis tools will be provided at the user group meeting in December. The attached leaflet provides further information about the scheme.

Benchmarking Leaflet 2013 Download

pdf File
474K
Keele University Benchmarking Leaflet 2013