In June, the Federal Government directed the Productivity Commission to conduct a report on the Performance of Public and Private Hospital Systems to underpin the Government's commitment to move towards nationally consistent performance reporting for the public and private hospital systems.

It is in this context that the inaugural Hospital Performance Measurement Summit will be held this December in Sydney.

Over two days, delegates will not only be focusing on the challenges currently facing performance measurements within the public and private hospital sector, but it will also analyse how the assessment of health care has become increasingly important to ensure transparency, control costs and reduce variations in clinical practice.

The program will also focus on issues such as the outcomes of the Hospital Performance Report; ensuring that the essential dimensions of hospital performance are met; overcoming ingrained variables within the public/private and rural/urban divide; staff performance measurements and pediatric care facilities.