Which of the following describes structural indicators?

Structural indicators focus on the organization and delivery of healthcare services. They assess the systems in place that support the provision of care, including the hospital's physical infrastructure, the availability of resources such as staff and equipment, and the organizational policies that can affect patient care.

For example, structural indicators might include the number of nursing staff relative to patient numbers, the existence of protocols for emergency care, or the availability of specific diagnostic tools. These factors are crucial as they provide the foundation upon which quality care can be built and can directly impact patient outcomes.

In contrast, patient-reported outcomes, patient satisfaction surveys, and quality of life measures relate more to the experiences and perceptions of the patients themselves or the results of the care they receive, rather than the structural aspects of how care is organized and delivered. These elements are essential for evaluating the effectiveness of care and gauging patient satisfaction, but they do not capture the integral structural components of healthcare delivery.