title: Improving the Understanding of Publicly Reported Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) Data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) data are reported to the public on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare website. We previously found that public understanding of these data is poor. Our objective was to develop an improved method for presenting HAI data that could be used on the CMS website. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial comparing understanding of data presented using the current CMS presentation strategy versus a new strategy. SETTING A 760-bed tertiary referral hospital. PARTICIPANTS A total of 61 patients were randomly selected within 24 hours of admission. INTERVENTION Participants were shown HAI data as presented on the CMS Hospital Compare website (control arm) or data formatted using a new method (experimental arm). RESULTS No statistically significant demographic differences were identified between study arms. Although 47% percent of participants said a website for comparing hospitals would have been helpful, only 10% had ever used such a website. Participants viewing data using the new presentation strategy compared hospitals correctly 56% of the time, compared with 32% in the control arm (P=.0002). CONCLUSIONS Understanding of HAI data increased significantly with the new data presentation method compared to the method currently used on the CMS Hospital Compare website. Many participants expressed interest in a website for comparing hospitals. Improved methods for presenting CMS HAI data, such as the one assessed here, should be adopted to increase public understanding. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-6.
authors: 1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health,University of Maryland School of Medicine,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors: Max
authors: M
authors: Masnick
authors: 2Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System,Baltimore,Maryland;Department of Epidemiology and Public Health,University of Maryland School of Medicine,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors: Daniel J
authors: DJ
authors: Morgan
authors: 3University of Maryland School of Dentistry,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors: Mark D
authors: MD
authors: Macek
authors: 4Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System Geriatrics Research,Education,and Clinical Center,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors: John D
authors: JD
authors: Sorkin
authors: 1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health,University of Maryland School of Medicine,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors: Jessica P
authors: JP
authors: Brown
authors: 5Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering,University of Maryland Baltimore County,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors: Penny
authors: P
authors: Rheingans
authors: 1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health,University of Maryland School of Medicine,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors: Anthony D
authors: AD
authors: Harris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology