OBJECTIVES: To identify, appraise, and synthesize common themes from quality indicator (QI) sets designed for the assessment, management, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in primary and community care contexts. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search was performed on six databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, Web of Sciences Core Collection, The Cochrane Library, and The Health Management Information Consortium), public repositories, and the websites of organizations involved in the reporting of MSK QIs. STUDY SELECTION: Potential QI sources were screened for relevance using an a priori criteria. After the screening of 1493 titles, abstracts, 71 articles were reviewed independently by two authors, of which 25 met our criteria and were therefore included within the review. DATA EXTRACTION: The development of the QI sets was appraised using the AIRE instrument. Key characteristics of QI sets were extracted and tabulated. Nine out of 25 QI sets had "high" developmental methodology quality. A total of 410 QIs were identified from 25 QI sets. DATA SYNTHESIS: A narrative synthesis was undertaken to identify common themes among QIs. Themes were mapped against improvement drivers mentioned in recent British primary/community MSK care policy directives. Finally, "Draft Indicators" were synthesized from common themes identified. Eleven overarching themes were synthesized: policy and governance
optimizing access and provision of care
staffing and spending
optimizing assessment and diagnosis
optimizing patient education and self-management
pharmacology and injection guideline adherence
optimizing personalized care
optimizing imaging, investigations, and referral
public health management relevant to MSK conditions
optimizing patient experience
and optimizing patient outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This review has identified common themes among QIs that focus on optimizing assessment, investigations, and treatment decisions for the primary/community care of MSK conditions. This work represents a valuable resource to commissioners, service managers, and clinicians internationally who resource, monitor, manage, assess, and rehabilitate individuals with MSK conditions.