Taxpayers on the ward. Quality improvement through the Citizen Monitoring Program

This chapter describes the Massachusetts Citizen Monitoring Program and discusses the program's history and rationale. Although the program has great intuitive and political appeal, little data currently exists with which to assess its effectiveness in improving patient care. The monitoring and evaluation model of the Joint Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations is proposed as an alternative to the present program. Under the proposed model, the program should become more efficient and effective.