This research provides an assessment of the performance evaluation procedure applicable to the Office for the Enhance ment of Special Patient Services (OESPS) of a public hospital in New York State. The OESPS is charged with developing the abilities of special patients to (1) recognize their specific needs, (2) relate those needs to the resources available through the hospital, and (3) successfully gain access to the required resources. Special patients are defined as those patients who are (1) physically diabled, (2) mentally retarded, (3) slow learners, or (4) suffering from mental illness. This assessment of the performance evaluation procedure for the OESPS considers (1) performance objectives, (2) accountability, (3) measurement criteria, (4) incentives, (5) current perfor mance level, (6) strengths and weaknessess of the evaluation system, and (7) recommendations for improvement.
The idea of performance measurement for personnel has long been resisted by unions. Gradually, however, a general recog nition is developing of the necessity for effective personnel performance evaluation. While the value of performance evalua tion for organizational units has generally been more favorably
1 2received, resistance exists in this area, also, because organi zational performance is, to an extent, a reflection of person nel performance. Performance evaluation, however, is required, in order to determine how well an employee or organization has done toward achieving organizational goals, so that operations can be properly maintained, and proper rewards can be distri buted.
The two general approaches to performance evaluation are the process oriented procedure, and the results oriented pro cedure. A process orientation means that the evaluative cri teria are related primarily to (1) qualifications, (2) planning activities, and (3) the conduct of operations. A results orientation means that the evaluative criteria is relat...