Performance Information Use in Local Government: Monitoring Relationships with Emergency Medical Services Agencies

摘要

Evaluating service effectiveness and ensuring accountability of third-party public service providers is important in collaborative relationships. Emergency medical services (EMS), a function in many cases provided by community-based organizations with long-standing relationships, constitutes one such case. This article examines the central concern of performance information use by municipal officials as they engage in monitoring and decision-making regarding relationships with third-party EMS agencies. Findings indicate that information availability, length of the relationship, ease of negotiations, and municipal size all influence performance information use, suggesting that the palpable nature of these relationships and the comprehensiveness of the agreements are key in shaping attitudes about performance information use.