For instance, “the number of patients treated and discharged from a mental hospital
(output indicator) is not the same as the percentage of discharged patients who are
capable of living independently (outcome indicator)” (Hatry, 1999).
Therefore, it could be wise to set the management as accountable not only for the
monitoring and the control of the input/output variables, but also for the early detection
of the direct effects of services delivered by the organization (intermediate outcome).
This requires specific expertises and knowledge that should be available inside the
healthcare organization and maintained over time through seminar and education to
the personnel involved (Figure 2).