Table 1 National clinical quality control indicators for critical care

Proportion of ICU patients to total inpatients (%)

Definition: (patients admitted to the ICU)/(patients admitted to hospital during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the proportion and hospital course of ICU patients among all hospitalized patients

Proportion of ICU patient bed occupancy to total inpatient bed occupancy (%)

Definition: (days of ICU bed occupancy by patients)/(days of hospital bed occupancy by patients during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the proportion and hospital course of ICU patients among all hospitalized patients

Proportion of ICU patients with APACHE II score ≥ 15 (%) (within 24 h after being admitted to ICU)

Definition: (no. of patients with APACHE II score ≥ 15 during the first 24 h in the ICU)/(patients admitted to the ICU during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the severity of illness of patients admitted to ICU.

3-h SSC bundle compliance rate (%)

Definition: (no. of septic shock patients who received the 3-h SSC bundle treatment)/(no. of septic shock patients admitted to the ICU during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the clinical standardization and medical care capacity for septic shock

6-h SSC bundle compliance rate (%)

Definition: (no. of septic shock patients who received the 6-h SSC bundle treatment)/(no. of septic shock patients admitted to the ICU during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the clinical standardization and medical care capacity for septic shock.

Microbiology detection rate before antibiotic use (%)

Definition: (no. of patients with microbiology detection before antibiotics)/(no. of patients who received antibiotics during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the normative use of antibiotics in ICU.

DVT prophylaxis rate (%)

Definition: (no. of patients who received DVT prophylaxis treatment)/(no. of patients admitted to the ICU during the same period). The optimal mode of DVT prophylaxis includes pharmacological prophylaxis (heparin or LMWH), mechanical prophylaxis (intermittent pneumatic leg compression or elastic stockings), and inferior vena cava filter.

Meaning: assesses the DVT prophylaxis for ICU patients.

Unplanned endotracheal extubation rate (%)

Definition: (no. of patients with unplanned endotracheal extubation)/(no. of patients with endotracheal extubation during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the integral management and treatment level of ICU.

Reintubation rate within 48 h (%)

Definition: (no. of patients reintubated within 48 h after endotracheal extubation)/(no. of patients with endotracheal extubation during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the judgment of proper extubation indication in ICU.

Rate of unplanned transfer to ICU (%)

Definition: (no. of patients with unplanned transfer to the ICU from other wards)/(no. of patients transferred to the ICU from other wards during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the quality of medical care in medical institutions.

ICU readmission rate within 48 h (%)

Definition: (no. of patients readmitted to the ICU within 48 h after discharge from the ICU)/(no. of patients discharged from the ICU during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the judgment of proper discharge indication in the ICU.

VAP incidence rate (%) per 1000 ventilator days

Definition: (no. of patients with VAP)/(no. of patients with mechanical ventilation during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the capability of infection control, invasive mechanical ventilation, and disease management in the ICU.

CRBSI incidence rate (%) per 1000 catheter days

Definition: (no. of patients with CRBSI)/(no. of patients with a central venous catheter during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the capability of infection control, intravascular catheter indwelling, and disease management in the ICU.

CAUTI incidence rate (%) per 1000 catheter days

Definition: (no. of patients with CAUTI)/(no. of patients with a urinary catheter during the same period)

Meaning: reflects the capability of infection control, urinary catheter indwelling, and disease management in the ICU

ICU mortality rate (%)*

Definition: (no. of patients who died in the ICU)/(no. of patients admitted to the ICU during the same period)