New Evidence on What Works in Effective Public Reporting

Abstract

Objective: To describe the current state of the public reporting field and provide guidance to public report producers based on the evidence.

Principal findings: Public reports should address the questions and priorities that consumers actually have; present information credibly and in a way that is understood by the intended audience; reach the intended audience; and enable consumers to act on the information.

Conclusions: Public reports have advanced greatly in recent years, but there remains much room for improvement. Report producers should continually evaluate their reports and apply the latest evidence to maximize their usefulness and impact.

Keywords: Consumer information; public reporting; quality of care/patient safety.