Publication of quality report cards and trends in reported quality measures in nursing homes.
OBJECTIVE
To examine associations between nursing homes' quality and publication of the Nursing Home Compare quality report card.


METHODS
Primary and secondary data for 2001-2003: 701 survey responses of a random sample of nursing homes; the Minimum Data Set (MDS) with information about all residents in these facilities, and the Nursing Home Compare published quality measure (QM) scores.


METHODS
Survey responses provided information on 20 specific actions taken by nursing homes in response to publication of the report card. MDS data were used to calculate five QMs for each quarter, covering a period before and following publication of the report. Statistical regression techniques were used to determine if trends in these QMs have changed following publication of the report card in relation to actions undertaken by nursing homes.


RESULTS
Two of the five QMs show improvement following publication. Several specific actions were associated with these improvements.


CONCLUSIONS
Publication of the Nursing Home Compare report card was associated with improvement in some but not all reported dimensions of quality. This suggests that report cards may motivate providers to improve quality, but it also raises questions as to why it was not effective across the board.
Mukamel
Dana B
DB
Center for Health Policy Research, 111 Academy, University of California, Suite 220, Irvine, CA 92697-5800, USA.
Weimer
David L
DL
Spector
William D
WD
Ladd
Heather
H
Zinn
Jacqueline S
JS
D022126:Access to Information; D000368:Aged; D019985:Benchmarking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States