CHEST Guidelines-Rebuttal-From-Drs-Kullgren-and-Werner

Rebuttal-From-Drs-Kullgren-and-Werner_chest

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The article from the <em>CHEST</em> journal is a rebuttal piece by Drs. Jeffrey T. Kullgren and Rachel M. Werner against Dr. Metersky’s argument in favor of the efficacy of public reporting in health-care quality measures to educate patients. Kullgren and Werner argue that while the concept of public reporting is promising, there is little evidence supporting its effectiveness in improving patient decision-making thus far.

They claim that although patients express interest in health-care quality information, their interest often centers on lay press rankings rather than technical quality measures, which may not accurately reflect provider performance. Despite significant reporting through platforms like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, distinguishing between high- and low-quality care remains challenging. Furthermore, merely making this information available is insufficient for effective patient use. 

The authors emphasize that the presentation and framing of quality data are crucial for consumer understanding and utilization. They argue that without providing information in a format that ensures comprehension and action, public reporting alone cannot succeed in achieving its educational goals.

Kullgren and Werner suggest that future efforts should focus on offering reliable, relevant, and actionable information, along with tools to help patients effectively navigate the health-care system. This would ensure that public reporting is not only accessible but also meaningful and useful in aiding health-care decisions.

Overall, they concur that while Dr. Metersky’s proposed preconditions for successful public reporting are valid, they are not currently met and are inadequate alone. The authors propose that a more comprehensive approach is necessary to ensure that patient report cards fulfill their potential to enhance patient decision-making.

Keywords

public reporting

health-care quality

patient decision-making

provider performance

quality data framing

consumer understanding

reliable information

actionable tools

patient report cards

health-care system navigation