Table 4.

Suggested key performance indicators for COVID-19 hospitalisation services. A weekly frequency of data collection and review is recommended

Indicator	Interpretation
Proportion of days with stock-out of an essential tracer medical item (e.g. oxygen, intravenous fluids, key PPE items)	Indicates robustness of supply chain and consequent quality and safety of care.
Average bed occupancy	As well as resource utilisation, < 100% occupancy during a period of known intense transmission may suggest barriers to access, including community concerns about the care being offered.
Proportion of arriving patients who met criteria for admission but were turned away or whose admission was delayed (by clinical status)	Indicates extent to which services meet demand.
Proportion of cases admitted, by age group and co-morbidity status	May indicate whether specific groups of patients (e.g. the most elderly or women) are not presenting for care: compare with what is expected based on data from the rest of the country or the region.
Proportion of critical cases among patients admitted	A high proportion of critical cases may indicate a delay in care-seeking.
Proportion of patients that become critical after admission	Indicates quality of non-invasive respiratory support and associated care. Compare with data from high-income settings.
Case-fatality ratio among non-critical patients	Indicates quality of non-invasive respiratory support and associated care. Compare with data from high-income settings.
Case-fatality ratio among critical patients	Indicates quality of invasive respiratory support and associated care. Compare with data from high-income settings. A high case-fatality ratio may also indicate the extent to which ventilation is safe and beneficial.
Proportion of healthcare workers utilising appropriate PPE, by role	Indicates availability, effectiveness of training, adherence to procedures and understanding of risk.
Proportion of healthcare workers who become ill with test-confirmed or syndromically diagnosed COVID-19	Indicates safety of care for healthcare workers. Compare with data from high-income settings. A high risk of illness or death in healthcare workers from COVID-19 could be a criterion for closing the facility.
Proportion of discharged patients who are happy with the care received	Indicates quality and humanity of care.