Promoting quality assurance through performance contracting

Performance contracting is an essential component of quality assurance in human service settings. Performance contracting involves developing performance standards for administrative, support service, and direct service personnel; communicating and contracting with personnel to ensure that they agree to comply with the performance standards for their positions; and using standards to monitor and evaluate the quantity and quality of staff performance. Performance contracting also serves to reinforce organizational structure and facilitate program evaluation and is useful in helping to ensure that psychiatrists and other professionals are sufficiently committed to meeting organizational goals as well as those of their professional disciplines.