title: Public reporting on quality in the United States and the United Kingdom.
abstract: The public reporting of comparative information about health care quality is becoming an accepted way of improving accountability and quality. Quality report cards have been prominent in the United States for more than a decade and are a central feature of British health system reform. In this paper we examine the common challenges and differences in implementation of the policy in the two countries. We use this information to explore some key questions relating to the content, target audience, and use of published information. We end by making specific recommendations for maximizing the effectiveness of public reporting.
authors.affiliation: National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, University of Manchester, England.
authors.forename: Martin N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Shekelle
authors.forename: Huw T O
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D030881:Disclosure; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D011641:Public Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012941:Social Responsibility; D017749:Total Quality Management; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States