ABSTRACT
Improving the quality of health care using clinical information is achieved either by identifying targets for quality improvement (QI) eff orts or by reporting intraor interprovider performance diff erences to consumers, regulators, or purchasers using accepted indicators of quality of care. QI is a means of improving clinical care in specifi c areas, with comparative reporting, particularly public reporting, acting as a stimulant for improvement. Th e rationale is that providers will be stimulated to invest in internal quality improvement eff orts if they believe that consumers will choose providers based on public reports of provider quality or if they will be otherwise rewarded or penalized because of these comparisons. Th ese two strategies can operate synergistically or be implemented independently. QI uses clinical information to gauge changes in a provider’s own performance after changing some existing practices or procedures. Reports comparing providers’ performance are predicated on the assumption that the underlying comparisons are valid. Both approaches have advocates, and numerous companies, ranging from software vendors to specialized consulting groups, have emerged to support providers’ QI eff orts.
