Although many Americans are increasingly taking an active role in making decisions about their healthcare, most people are not using readily available information about healthcare quality to help them make those decisions. A new study by The Joint Commission, which is being funded in part by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, aims to find new ways to help consumers better understand healthcare quality data and use the information to make informed healthcare decisions.

A 2006 study by Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation found that the vast majority of Americans had not seen comparative information on hospital quality in the past year. Of those who had seen it, less than half said they used the information to make a healthcare decision. While the overall proportion of individuals using hospital quality information has increased in recent years (from four percent in 2000 to 10 percent in 2006), the percentage is still small.

This 18-month study is designed to identify broad principles and guidelines for the presentation of electronic hospital quality information and explore ways in which consumer understanding of the information facilitates healthcare decisions. Results will be shared with public and private organizations that provide hospital quality information electronically. Nancy Kupka, RN, project director for the division of quality measurement and research with The Joint Commission is the study's principal investigator.
"If patients and consumers aren't able to understand or use the quality data that are currently available, then we are missing important opportunities to improve the healthcare system," says Jerod M. Loeb, PhD, executive vice president for the division of quality measurement and research with The Joint Commission. "The goal of this project is to find solutions to bridge the gap between raw data and useful, actionable information."

A panel of experts in the areas of consumer use of quality information, adult learning, and health media will provide guidance throughout the study. For more information about the study, contact Nancy Kupka at 630-792-5947 or nkupka(at)jointcommission.org.

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