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Data reflecting the quality of care delivered by physicians and hospitals are typically referred to as performance measurement. Releasing performance data publicly—via web sites, for example—fosters transparency and accountability among health care providers and sets benchmarks and incentives for improving care. It also influences consumers' choice of providers by enabling them to better judge the quality of care.
In 2005, the federal government launched the website Hospital Compare with performance data about facilities nationwide, and in 2013, it will begin offering comparable doctor information online through Physician Compare. Increasing numbers of regional organizations also are reporting on the performance of local providers.
- To improve quality, Americans need better information about the actual performance of their physicians and hospitals. What is not measured cannot be improved.
- Some research suggests publicly reported performance data spurs providers to improve quality.
- Publicly reporting the performance of providers in the 16 communities that are part of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality program has offered promise
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