What does the term "clinical indicators" refer to in HCQM?

The term "clinical indicators" refers specifically to metrics that are utilized to evaluate the quality of healthcare services and the outcomes achieved. These indicators help organizations measure and monitor the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of care provided to patients. By analyzing clinical indicators, healthcare organizations can identify areas for improvement and ensure that they meet established quality standards in patient care.

For instance, clinical indicators may include rates of hospital-acquired infections, readmission rates, mortality rates, and patient satisfaction scores. All of these metrics provide valuable insights into how well healthcare services are being delivered and can guide quality improvement initiatives.

While other options like operational budget reports, workforce satisfaction surveys, and patient demographic information may be important components of healthcare management, they do not specifically measure the quality of clinical care or patient outcomes in the same way that clinical indicators do. Therefore, the focus on metrics tied to healthcare quality makes the correct choice distinct and relevant to the concept of HCQM.