Performance reporting for consumers: issues for the Australian private hospital sector.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Consumer Health Informatics

Background:

• Private hospitals present challenges for consumers regarding cost transparency, choice, and quality information.
• Consumer engagement in healthcare performance reporting is crucial for improving services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a consumer-driven performance report for private hospital cardiac services.
• To identify and address barriers faced by consumers in the private healthcare sector.

Main Methods:

• Collaborative development involving consumers, hospital staff, and industry representatives.
• Qualitative analysis of consumer-identified barriers to information, choice, and quality care.
• Design of a novel performance report focusing on systems and processes.
• Creation of a consumer decision support tool for navigating private healthcare.

Main Results:

• Consumers shifted focus from quantitative data to qualitative assessment of hospital structures, systems, and processes.
• Identification of significant situational and structural barriers impacting consumer rights in private healthcare.
• Development of a consumer-driven report and a decision support tool.

Conclusions:

• Consumer-driven initiatives can enhance private hospital accountability.
• Addressing identified barriers is essential before implementing public performance reporting for private hospitals in Australia.
• The developed report and tool can empower consumers and inform healthcare governance.