What attributes should indicators used in clinical care programs possess?

Indicators used in clinical care programs are essential for assessing the effectiveness of patient care and ensuring quality outcomes. They should be valid and reliable, meaning they must accurately measure what they are intended to measure (validity) and produce consistent results over time (reliability).

When indicators are valid, they effectively reflect the quality of care provided, enabling healthcare professionals to make informed decisions based on accurate data. Reliability ensures that the same results can be obtained under consistent conditions, thereby fostering trust in the data gathered from these indicators.

This combination allows healthcare providers to evaluate and improve patient outcomes systematically, adjust treatment plans as needed, and maintain high standards of care across various clinical settings. Indications that lack these attributes would not support effective clinical improvement or patient safety initiatives.