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Guidance for sponsors of consumer reports on health care quality

Public Information as Part of a Multipronged Strategy

The proliferation of health care report cards over the past 10 to 15 years is a direct response to widespread and growing concerns about the quality of care. When quality problems arise in other industries (such as concerns about automobile safety), the solution typically involves a multitude of strategies, including regulatory reforms, financial incentives, independent oversight, and consumer education. While this last tactic is only one piece of a much larger puzzle, providing people with useful information can play an important role in effecting change. Quality report cards are regarded as a crucial component of a long-term strategy to harness the power of informed consumers to reform the American health care system.^{[1] [2]}

Information is essential to an efficient market.

One theory is that information on quality, and ideally value, will enable the “health care market” to work as it should. Armed with the right information and the ability to use it, consumers and purchasers will presumably select the “best” health plans and providers and avoid those that perform inadequately. At the same time, health care organizations faced with public information that clearly reveals differences in performance will improve the quality of care they offer in order to compete effectively.^[3]

Information is required for accountability.

Another important perspective is that transparency itself has the power to bring about change. Consumer reports shine a light on the performance of health care organizations and compel them to acknowledge that patients and purchasers have a “right to know” what they are getting.

Also in "Make the Case for Consumer Reporting"

• The Problems With Health Care Quality
• Public Information as Part of a Multipronged Strategy
• Arguments Against Consumer Reporting
• Arguments in Support of Consumer Reporting