Clinical indicators for physiotherapists.

Clinical indicators have recently been introduced into the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards (ACHS) Hospital Accreditation Programme. They offer a means of monitoring the process and outcome of care by determining flags of performance which are used for constant reassessment. This paper explores the benefits of developing clinical indicators specific to physiotherapy. It also identifies the steps preliminary to the development of indicators and gives examples of indicators currently being trialled by Australian physiotherapists. By taking the steps necessary to the development of indicators, physiotherapists in all types of practice will be in a better position to judge the effectiveness of their patient care.