تقييم أداء المستشفيات: أداة تقييم الأداء لتحسين الجودة في المستشفيات (Path) كرافعة لأداء المستشفيات العمومية المغربية[Evaluating the hospital performance: Performance Assessment Tool for Quality Improvement in Hospitals (PATH) as a Lever for enhancing performance in Moroccan public hospitals]

Assessing hospital performance has become a key issue for governance and managerial decision-making in a context marked by increasing pressure on public health systems. Once largely approached through financial or productivity-based measures, hospital performance is now widely recognized as a multidimensional concept encompassing clinical, organizational, and human dimensions. In this context, the article offers a critical review of the main hospital performance assessment models developed within the field of management sciences, with particular attention given to the Performance Assessment Tool for Hospitals (PATH) designed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Drawing on a documentary and comparative analysis of major theoretical frameworks—including unidimensional models, the Donabedian framework, the Balanced Scorecard, EGIPSS, and PATH—the study examines the conditions under which the PATH model can be transferred and adapted to the context of Moroccan public hospitals, which is characterized by ongoing public sector reforms, particularly within the healthcare system. The findings suggest that unidimensional approaches fall short of capturing the organizational complexity of public hospitals. In contrast, the PATH model stands out for its integrative and participatory nature, as well as its clear orientation toward continuous improvement. Despite persistent challenges related to hospital information systems, managerial culture, and stakeholder ownership, the article highlights the potential of the PATH model as a strategic lever for modernizing hospital performance management in Morocco. Keywords: hospital performance, PATH model, performance assessment, health system reform, public hospitals