Advancing Transparency and Accountability Through Public Reporting- 2024 Quality Summit Presentation (Non-CE)-Advancing Transparency and Accountability Through Public Reporting

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Ralph Brindis, a Senior Medical Officer, opened a session discussing transparency and accountability through public reporting in cardiovascular healthcare. The aim was to promote advanced methods of public reporting within hospitals participating in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR). Dr. Dave Shaheen of Harvard Medical School emphasized the issues of variation in healthcare quality and the importance of accurate measurement for improving quality. He highlighted that current healthcare quality measurement is chaotic, leading to conflicting results that undermine stakeholder trust. Dr. Shaheen advocated for establishing standards and rigorous methodologies to ensure the reliability of public reporting.<br /><br />Dr. Greg Dahmer followed by addressing the good, bad, and ugly aspects of public reporting. He acknowledged issues such as the use of administrative data, which can be outdated and inaccurate, and the potential for risk aversion, where providers might avoid high-risk cases to prevent poor outcomes being publicly reported. Despite these challenges, Dahmer argued for public reporting as it promotes transparency and allows patients to make informed decisions.<br /><br />Ellie Huff facilitated a discussion panel, including Ben Harder of U.S. News & World Report, on how their rankings integrate public reporting from clinical registries. Harder explained that public reporting offers consumers a more reliable alternative to informal sources like social media and is incentivized in U.S. News rankings to encourage hospitals toward transparency.<br /><br />The panel agreed that although public reporting poses challenges, it is essential for ethical medical practice and improving overall healthcare quality, ensuring that patients have the right to know their provider's performance. The session concluded with a reminder of California's upcoming mandatory public reporting for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures, setting a standard for state-level public reporting initiatives.

Keywords

public reporting

cardiovascular healthcare

transparency

accountability

healthcare quality

National Cardiovascular Data Registry

risk aversion

U.S. News rankings

California TAVR reporting

ethical medical practice