Characteristics of ideal quality indicators*
| Characteristics | Explanation |
| Well defined | Explicitly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria |
| Specific | Few false positives |
| Sensitive | Few false negatives |
| Valid | Robust selection process or development |
| Reliable | Minimal interobserver or intraobserver variability |
| Able to discriminate | Ability to detect variation or change for comparisons |
| Based on evidence and clinically relevant | An acceptable identifiable event for user |
| Feasible or measurable | Can be measured with data that are available |
*From Mainz and Campbell et al.3 5