Discover the enhanced Provider Data Catalog for easy data access and explore improved Medicare’s compare sites to compare hospital quality.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and hospitals across the nation are working together to provide transparent information on hospital quality performance. This data is publicly available through resources like Care Compare on Medicare.gov and the Provider Data Catalog, empowering patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare.
Hospital Care Compare is designed to present hospital performance data in a clear and consistent format. This ensures that individuals have access to reliable information when they Compare Hospitals and assess the quality of care they provide. The hospitals featured on Care Compare primarily include Acute Care Hospitals, Acute Care Veteran’s Hospitals, Department of Defense Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and Children’s Hospitals. It’s important to note that Care Compare includes data exclusively from Medicare-certified hospitals. A significant portion of these are short-term acute care hospitals participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program and the Hospital Outpatient Reporting (OQR) Program. These programs, established through the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 and the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, require data submission for hospitals to receive full annual Medicare payments, encouraging broad participation in quality reporting.
Care Compare on Medicare.gov offers a wealth of quality information to help you compare hospital options based on several key measures:
Understanding Hospital Quality Measures on Care Compare
- Process of Care Measures: These measures evaluate whether hospitals deliver recommended treatments aligned with clinical guidelines and standards of care. They show the percentage of patients receiving the most effective treatments for specific conditions. By examining these metrics, users can compare hospital adherence to best practices at the state and national levels.
- Outcome Measures: Outcome measures focus on the results of patient care, rather than just the treatments provided. These metrics reveal the actual impact of hospital care on patient health and recovery, offering crucial insights when you compare hospital effectiveness.
- Patient Experience of Care (HCAHPS): Patient experience is captured through the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey. This national, standardized survey gathers patient feedback on their recent hospital stays. HCAHPS scores provide valuable perspectives on patient satisfaction and the overall quality of the patient experience within different hospitals.
- Efficiency and Safety Measures: Beyond treatment and experience, Care Compare also provides data on:
- Imaging efficiency patterns
- Care transitions
- Emergency Department (ED) throughput efficiency
- Care coordination
- Patient safety indicators
The Evolution of Hospital Public Reporting
The journey of public hospital reporting began with Hospital Compare, a website launched through a partnership between Medicare and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA). Established in December 2002, the HQA, a public-private collaboration known as “Improving Care Through Information,” aimed to increase transparency in hospital quality. This alliance included representatives from consumer groups, hospitals, healthcare providers, employers, accrediting bodies, and federal agencies. The core mission was to empower consumers with the information needed to make informed healthcare choices and to drive improvements in hospital quality across the United States. Since its inception, the scope of publicly reported measures and topics has significantly expanded.
- 2005: The initial phase introduced a “Ten measure “starter set” (PDF)” focusing on process of care measures for common conditions like heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical care.
- 2008: Hospital Compare integrated data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, providing patient perspectives on care. Additionally, reporting began for hospital 30-day mortality rates for heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia, adding critical outcome measures for hospital comparison.
- 2009: The scope expanded to include hospital outpatient facilities, incorporating outpatient imaging efficiency data along with emergency department and surgical process of care measures, offering a broader view for those looking to compare hospital services.
- 2010: 30-day readmission measures were added for heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia, providing further insights into hospital performance in preventing recurring health issues.
- 2011: Data on Hospital Associated Infections (HAIs) from the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHNS) became available, enhancing patient safety information. These measures extended to ICUs and other hospital units.
- 2012: Data from the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program was included, highlighting efforts to reduce unnecessary readmissions.
- 2013: The Hospital Value Based Purchasing program data was added, reflecting hospital performance in value-based care initiatives.
- 2015: HCAHPS Star Ratings were introduced, aligning with the 5-star quality rating system across Medicare’s Compare websites to simplify hospital quality assessment.
- 2016: The Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating was launched, providing a comprehensive summary of hospital quality. Data from Veterans Health Administration Hospitals was also reintroduced, expanding the scope of hospital comparison available.
- 2017: Data on Department of Defense hospitals became part of Hospital Compare, further broadening the range of hospitals included for comparison.
- 2020: Hospital data was integrated with data from other care settings, enabling users to compare hospitals alongside nursing homes and other facilities on a single platform. The original Hospital Compare website was retired in this transition.
- 2023: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals became eligible for Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, ensuring consistent quality assessment across different hospital systems.
- 2023: The “Birthing-Friendly” designation was introduced, marked by a new icon next to qualifying hospitals in search results and within the Maternal Health section, helping patients identify hospitals recognized for maternal care excellence.
Today, CMS provides access to over 150 hospital quality measures through Care Compare on Medicare.gov and the Provider Data Catalog. CMS is committed to ongoing improvements to these resources, working with stakeholders to enhance transparency and empower informed healthcare decisions when you compare hospitals.
