Modern Healthcare reports the National Quality Forum released a report endorsing seven guidelines for Internet-based public reporting of healthcare quality data to assist organizations that sponsor public reports of quality information to implement standardized reporting strategies. They include recommendations that Web-based reports have an identified purpose and audience; are developed in a transparent process; define quality; use meaningful measurements; present data clearly; are designed in a usable way; and are regularly assessed for effectiveness. The standards supplement the NQF’s recommendations for public reporting as outlined in its hospital-care performance framework developed in 2003.
Read full report: National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Hospital Care 2007 — Guidelines for Consumer-Focused Public Reporting: A Consenus Report