Related Experiment Videos
Will hospital report cards make the grade?
Insights
Hospital report cards on patient outcomes are gaining attention but face validity challenges. Despite flawed data collection, releasing this information can improve healthcare quality and decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Hospital report cards are increasingly used by employers, consumers, and providers to guide healthcare decisions.
- Concerns exist regarding the accuracy and usefulness of the data presented in these report cards.
- The Center for Studying Health System Change convened expert panels to discuss the validity and utility of hospital report cards.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of hospital report cards in informing healthcare decisions.
- To discuss the challenges and potential benefits associated with the release of clinical outcomes data.
Main Methods:
- A Socratic dialogue was used to explore the implications of releasing a hypothetical community hospital report card.
- Two research presentations on hospital report cards were analyzed by expert panels.
- Expert opinions were gathered on the current state and future of healthcare quality reporting.
Main Results:
- Panelists acknowledged that current methods for collecting and reporting clinical outcomes data are imperfect.
- Despite data limitations, the release of report card information was deemed beneficial for improving clinical quality.
- The discussion highlighted the potential for report cards to foster an environment where quality information influences healthcare choices.
Conclusions:
- While hospital report card data collection and reporting have flaws, their release can drive quality improvements.
- Healthcare quality information, even if imperfectly presented, can ultimately impact decision-making by various stakeholders.
- Continued efforts in developing and refining report cards are necessary to enhance their validity and utility.
Abstract:
Hospital report cards that document patients' medical outcomes are attracting increasing attention for their role in guiding health care decisions by employers, consumers and providers. Significant questions remain, however, regarding the validity and utility of this information. This Issue Brief is based on a seminar held by the Center for Studying Health System Change at which two expert panels discussed whether report cards make the grade. The first panel approached this subject through a Socratic dialogue that focused on the release of a hypothetical community hospital report card. The second panel weighed in on two research presentations related to report cards. The panelists agreed that efforts to collect and report clinical outcomes data are flawed. Even so, release of the data can help improve clinical quality and foster an environment in which health care quality information ultimately has an impact on health care decision making.