E5 Exploring Transparency & Public Accountability: Two Approaches - M. Chase and C. Adams

Exploring Transparency and Public Accountability:

Two ApproachesMark Chase

Executive Director, Decision Support

Clay AdamsVP – Communications & Public Affairs

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International Context

• Established international practice– United States– UK National Health Service– Canadian Institute for Health Information

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US Experience• The Joint Commission on Accreditation of

Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) and the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandate public reporting of numerous indicators

• Many hospitals also participate in numerous voluntary reporting initiatives (e.g., Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ] and Leapfrog Group)

• Some hospitals generate their own public scorecards

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NHS Core Principles• The NHS is accountable to the public,

communities and patients it serves• The system of responsibility and

accountability for taking decisions in the NHS should be transparent and clear to the public, patients and staff.

• NHS provides significant public reporting – some through Dr Foster

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CIHI• The Canadian Institute for Health

Information regularly delivers a number of national reports publicly, including:– Health Indicators– Canadian Hospital Reporting Project

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Why be transparent?

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Know your audience• Who you are talking to?

– Internal versus external– Focus content on that target audience– Solicit audience input before, not after– Think plain, simple language – always!

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VCH Scorecards• Public Summary View• Senior Executive Team Summary View• Unit View• Public Detail View – static and dynamic

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The future of accountability• Public expectations• Stakeholder

expectations• The VCH strategy

Recognize the risks…but seize the opportunity