Public disclosure of process and outcome measures

There is a long history of resistance to public disclosure of data comparing the quality of doctors or hospitals. Examples of data ultimately disclosed are risk-adjusted cardiac bypass surgery mortality data, cesarean section rates, doctor immunization practices, and state medical board rates of serious disciplinary actions. Recent studies on postoperative infection rates in Veterans' Affairs hospitals show large differences even after risk adjustment. It is inevitable that more comparative quality data involving both the process and outcome of medical care will be made public after proper adjustment for risks.