Evaluating Health Performance and Inequalities in Marche region of Italy

A worldwide selection of models for measuring performance in health services was appraised, with the internationally recognised Health System Performance Assessment tool chosen for testing in a local health authority in the Marche Region of Italy, utilising local, regional, national and international comparisons. A complementary means of measuring health inequality involving the Concentration Index enabled a holistic evaluation of the local health environment. Whilst the approach addressed a comprehensive range of issues, limitations with data availability were found to present genuine constraints that require future action. Nevertheless, valuable lessons were learned for policy makers, with the relationship between socio-economic inequalities and systematic variations in health indicators highlighted. The Health System Performance Assessment tool presents the opportunity for strategic alignment in performance measurement. This article presents an overview of extensive piece of research