The development of priorities in any organization, including healthcare, is best facilitated by comparing target versus actual performance12. This approach allows organizations to identify areas where performance is not meeting expectations and prioritize efforts to address these gaps12. This process involves setting clear goals, establishing benchmarks for performance, and regularly reviewing progress3. When actual performance falls short of the target, this indicates a priority area for improvement12.
The other options, while important in the overall management and improvement of performance, do not directly facilitate the development of priorities12. Creating a plan to evaluate performance (Option B) is a part of the performance management process, but it does not in itself help to establish priorities12. Surveying staff for potential priorities (Option C) can provide valuable insights, but it is the comparison of actual performance against targets that will objectively identify priority areas12. Selecting valid and reliable metrics for the balanced scorecard (Option D) is crucial for measuring performance, but again, it is the comparison of these metrics against targets that will highlight the areas that need to be prioritized12.