Through the Hospital Compare Web site, CMS is working to implement the principles of a value-based system in the Medicare program. The enhancements to the site further empower consumer choice and create incentives by motivating providers to provide better care for less money. An Executive Order issued in 2006 by President Bush directed that federal agencies that sponsor or subsidize health care commit to the fourcornerstones of value-driven health care: ensuring transparent quality and price information, interoperablehealthinformation technology and incentives for high-quality, efficient health care delivery (http://www.hhs.gov/valuedriven).

The Hospital Quality Alliance is instrumental in facilitating CMS's communication with hospitals and helping to motivate those hospitals to continually analyze and improve the quality of their care. Collaboration by the members of the HQA continues to ensure that public reporting efforts for hospitals are supported by a broad cross section of the health care community.


Public reporting of these and other measures is intended to empower patients and their families with information with which to engage their local hospitals and physicians in active discussions about quality of care.

To help hospitals use the 30-day mortality data as a quality improvement tool, CMS provided detailed reports to each hospital listed on the Web site. CMS believes that all hospitals, regardless of their mortality rates, should use the data available in these free, detailed reports to find ways to continually improve the care they deliver.

CMS urges consumers not to view any one process or outcome measure on Hospital Compare as a tool to "shop" for a hospital. The information contained on Hospital Compare is one additional tool for consumers to use in making healthcare decisions, although consumers should gather information from multiple sources when choosing a hospital. For example, patients and caregivers could use the Web site to help them discuss plans of care with their trusted healthcare providers. In an emergency situation, patients should always go to the nearest, most easily accessible facility.

The Hospital Compare website can be accessed at http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/

Short cut URL to mortality information (Minitool): http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/hospital/mortalitytool/index.asp

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