There is an adage in management that asserts “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” By and large, it is hard to argue with that sentiment. Good metrics that accurately reflect the phenomenon of interest and are actionable can be very useful for organization leaders.
Nevertheless, that metrics mantra has some darker corollaries that need to be kept in mind. Let us consider three of them.
- Corollary 1:
- Corollary 2:
- Corollary 3:
Metrics have their downsides, but they are not going away. Luckily, the Journal of Healthcare Management receives many fine manuscripts that identify the metrics that matter and help managers factor them into operational strategies. We publish the best of those manuscripts in JHM, and this issue is no exception.