Clinical Key Performance Indicators

The National Ambulance Service  has reported against a single clinical Key Performance Indicator (KPI ) for the last number of years – return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) on arrival at the receiving Emergency Department (ED). The introduction of this clinical KPI drove an improvement in clinical care in cardiac arrest patients, which resulted in better outcomes and improved survival.

We are now very pleased to be introducing three additional clinical KPIs

• Clinically significant reduction in severe pain in adults and children (defined as a reduction in pain score of ≥3 while in NAS care);
• Proportion of patients with a working diagnosis of stroke transported directly to a hospital capable of performing stroke thrombolysis;
• In patients suffering from acute stroke or TIA, rate of blood glucose measurement.

Our aim in introducing these new KPIs is to drive improvement in clinical care for stroke patients and patients experiencing severe pain, in the same way that our ROSC KPI drove improvement in cardiac arrest care.

Below we have outlined the current and future KPI’s and an  associated quality improvement for pain management, we have also attached a supporting quality improvement document that each practitioner can use to reflect on their current practice and how they can improve the care provided to the patient.