title: Designing a report card for nursing facilities: what information is needed and why.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article presents a rationale and conceptual framework for making comprehensive consumer information about nursing facilities available. Such information can meet the needs of various stakeholder groups, including consumers, family/friends, health professionals, providers, advocates, ombudsman, payers, and policy makers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rationale and framework are based on a research literature review of key quality indicators for nursing facilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings show six key areas for information: (a) facility characteristics and ownership; (b) resident characteristics; (c) staffing indicators; (d) clinical quality indicators; (e) deficiencies, complaints, and enforcement actions; and (f) financial indicators. This information can assist in selecting, monitoring, and contracting with nursing facilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Model information systems can be designed using existing public information, but the information needs to be enhanced with improved data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California-San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 455, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA. Chas@itsa.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Charlene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Janis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Meara
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitchener
authors.forename: Lisa Payne
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Schnelle
mesh_terms: D033181:Information Dissemination; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D010067:Ownership; D014481:United States