Measurement and Review >> Deciding on the evidence-based measures

Measurement of clinical practice typically involves identifying a set of indicators that:

• reflect the evidence, and
  
• have meaning for the clinicians and consumers involved.

Indicators are objective measures of clinical management and care outcomes at particular points in the care continuum. They are not exact standards, rather they provide clinicians with quantitative feedback about the care being provided to patients and help to flag instances of potentially sub-optimal care.

Indicators can focus on:

• processes of care (e.g. the percentage of admitted patients receiving CT scans within the targeted time frame, the percentage of patients reporting satisfaction with information provided);
  
  
• direct clinical management (e.g. the percentage of patients eligible for a particular clinical intervention who actually receive it); and
  
  
• outcomes (e.g. the percentage of patients with unplanned readmissions for the same condition within 28 days of discharge).