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Healthcare Performance Improvement Plan

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Healthcare Performance Improvement Plan

Employee Name:    Employee ID:

Job Title:    Department:

Hire Date:    Supervisor:    Plan Initiation Date:

Purpose and Scope

This Healthcare Performance Improvement Plan (the "Plan") documents specific performance deficiencies, establishes measurable objectives, and sets a schedule for review. The Plan outlines management expectations, the resources to be provided, methods of monitoring, and potential disciplinary outcomes for failure to achieve stated objectives. This Plan does not constitute a guarantee of continued employment and is administered in accordance with applicable employment policies and federal and state law.

Performance Concerns

Performance Objectives and Success Criteria

Action Plan — Support and Resources

Orientation/refresher    One-on-one coaching    Simulation/practice    Other

Monitoring and Review

Monitoring Frequency:    Weekly    Bi-weekly    Monthly

1)    2)    3)

Consequences and Terms

Failure to meet the objectives and success criteria within the specified timeframe may result in further disciplinary action, up to and including reassignment, suspension, or termination. This Plan is an administrative tool to promote improvement and is not an amendment to any employment agreement. The employer will consider reasonable accommodations for employees with documented disabilities when applicable.

Confidentiality

This document and any supporting documentation are confidential and maintained in the employee's personnel file. All parties must protect patient protected health information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and organizational policy. Information disclosed during coaching or review sessions that pertains to patient care must be handled consistent with confidentiality obligations.

Employee Acknowledgment

I acknowledge receipt of this Performance Improvement Plan, have discussed its contents with my supervisor, and understand the expectations, resources to be provided, and potential consequences if objectives are not achieved. My signature does not necessarily indicate agreement with the contents but confirms I have received and reviewed this Plan.

Final Outcome (to be completed at Plan conclusion)

Objectives met — no further action required    Partially met — extension or modified plan may be implemented    Objectives not met — further disciplinary action considered

Employee Name:

By:

Date:

Supervisor/Representative:

By:

Date:

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What the Healthcare Performance Improvement Plan Is

A Healthcare Performance Improvement Plan (HPIP) is a structured, written program used by healthcare organizations to document identified performance gaps, define measurable goals, list corrective actions, assign responsible parties, and set review dates. The HPIP captures baseline metrics, planned interventions, and outcome measures so progress can be tracked objectively. It serves quality, human resources, and compliance functions by creating a reproducible record of improvement activities, timelines, and follow-up steps that support patient safety, regulatory oversight, and professional remediation.

Why a Clear Plan Matters for Quality and Compliance

A formal HPIP clarifies expectations, creates measurable targets, and documents the steps taken to remediate performance. It supports patient safety initiatives, reduces legal and accreditation risk, and provides a defensible record for human resources and regulatory review.

Why a Clear Plan Matters for Quality and Compliance

Who Typically Prepares or Uses an HPIP

The HPIP is used by clinical leaders, compliance teams, and human resources to address individual or team performance issues while preserving documentation and follow-up.

  • Quality and safety officers who manage clinical improvement programs and oversight.
  • Department managers and clinical supervisors responsible for daily performance coaching.
  • HR and credentialing staff documenting remediation and employment decisions.

Use the HPIP where objective measurement, documented remediation, and scheduled reassessment are required; the document helps coordinate actions across clinical, regulatory, and HR stakeholders.

Core Sections Every Professional HPIP Should Include

A standardized HPIP groups information into consistent sections so reviewers can quickly find the problem statement, evidence, interventions, and outcomes.

Identification

Names, roles, dates, and reporting unit for the subject and the person initiating the plan.

Problem Statement

Concise, objective description of performance gaps supported by date-stamped evidence and specific examples.

Baseline Metrics

Quantitative measures showing current performance level and relevant benchmarks for comparison.

Improvement Goals

Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives tied to numeric targets.

Interventions

Action items, training, supervision, or workflow changes with assigned owners and completion dates.

Monitoring & Outcomes

Planned measurement intervals, success criteria, and escalation steps if improvement is not achieved.

Stepwise Process to Complete an HPIP

Follow these core steps to create a clear, actionable plan that stakeholders can implement and evaluate.

  • 01
    Gather Evidence: Collect incident reports, chart reviews, and metric data.
  • 02
    Define Goals: Set SMART targets and measurement methods.
  • 03
    Assign Actions: List interventions and assign owners with due dates.
  • 04
    Review Results: Evaluate outcomes at scheduled intervals and adjust as needed.

Configuring the HPIP for Online Completion

Configure fields and routing before distribution so signers see only relevant inputs and workflows run automatically.

Field Configuration
Template Name Use consistent naming including department and plan type.
Required Fields Mark identification, problem, targets, and signature as required.
Routing Set role-based sequential routing (supervisor → quality → HR).
Notifications Enable email reminders for overdue actions and reviewer prompts.

Where to Submit or Route a Completed HPIP

A completed HPIP should reach the people and systems responsible for oversight, recordkeeping, and follow-up.

  • Clinical Quality: Submit to the quality department for review and tracking.
  • Human Resources: Send a copy to HR for personnel recordkeeping.
  • Electronic Health Record: Attach plan to the employee or patient file as appropriate.
  • Credentialing Committee: Provide documentation to credentialing when remediation affects privileges.

Technical and Security Requirements for Digital HPIPs

Ensure your digital platform supports secure storage, auditable signatures, and required integrations before using online HPIPs.

  • Document Format: PDF or DOCX with preserved audit trail.
  • Authentication: Email, SMS code, or stronger signer verification.
  • Integrations: EHR and HRIS connectors for record linking.

Use platforms that provide encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, and capabilities for HIPAA-compliant workflows when handling protected health information.

Typical Timelines and Review Deadlines

HPIP timelines vary by issue severity; define review dates and escalation checkpoints at the outset.

Initial Meeting:

Within 7 calendar days of issue identification.

Action Implementation:

Complete assigned interventions within 30 days.

First Review:

Assess progress at 90 days with updated metrics.

Final Evaluation:

Complete comprehensive outcome review at six months.

Retention Start:

Retention period begins on the effective date of the plan.

Essential Fields to Capture in Every HPIP

Subject Identity: Full legal name
Unique Identifier: Employee ID or MRN
Summary of Issue: Concise problem statement
Baseline Data: Metric values and dates
Assigned Actions: Owner and due date
Signatures: Supervisor and subject

Consequences of an Incomplete or Incorrect HPIP

Patient Harm: Increased safety risk
Regulatory Exposure: Potential citations or fines
HIPAA Risk: Privacy breach penalties
Employment Claims: Discrimination or wrongful-termination risk
Accreditation Impact: Negative survey findings
Credentialing Delay: Privilege review complications

Common Preparation Errors to Avoid

  • Writing vague goals without measurable targets makes evaluation subjective and delays corrective action.
  • Failing to collect baseline data prevents clear comparison and can invalidate improvement claims.
  • Not assigning clear owners and deadlines leads to task abandonment and ineffective follow-up.
  • Ignoring required privacy safeguards when sharing plans containing protected health information increases compliance risk.

Practical Examples of HPIP Use in Healthcare Settings

Two concise scenarios show how an HPIP structures remediation and documents outcomes in different clinical contexts.

Hospital Quality Improvement

A surgical unit noted rising postoperative infection rates

  • Team used chart audit and root-cause analysis
  • The HPIP specified education, checklist adoption, and 90-day metric reviews that reduced infection rate to target levels and documented the process for accreditation.

Primary Care Clinic

A clinician received repeated charting errors identified in peer review

  • Supervisor required targeted documentation training and weekly chart audits
  • The HPIP tracked improvement over four months and provided evidence for returning the clinician to standard performance monitoring.

eSignature Pricing and Capability Snapshot for HPIP Workflows

Compare basic pricing and common capabilities for eSignature vendors used to execute HPIPs; signNow is listed first per platform comparison standards.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes (BAA) Yes Yes No No

Frequently Asked Questions About HPIPs

Answers to common legal, procedural, and technical questions to help administrators and clinicians complete HPIPs correctly.


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