Developing a national framework for comparative performance evaluation of Israel's public general hospitals: What information do consumers want to know about the quality of care in hospitals?

Background: Understanding public preferences regarding information is an important step in the process of designing a system for comparative evaluation of hospitals' performance. This study is part of a comprehensive study aimed at developing a national framework for comparative performance evaluation of Israel's public general hospitals.

Objective: To identify which domains of hospital performance would be of greatest interest to consumers for comparing hospital quality.

Methodology: A total of six focus groups were conducted (n=67). Groups were structured to be homogeneous with respect to age group (35-50 and 51-65) and socioeconomic status (low, average and high). All participants were hospitalized or accompanied a friend or relative who was hospitalized recently. All groups lasted approximately two hours and were conducted by the same moderator.

Results: A wide range of hospital performance features were identified as important. Participants were most interested in items relating to physicians' expertise and the quality of medical care. However, structural features of the hospital, physician and nurse communication with patients, responsiveness to patients' needs, use of latest technology and equipment, waiting time for non-emergency surgical procedures and patient satisfaction were also identified as important. Findings were quite consistent across groups regardless of participant characteristics.

Conclusions: Participants are highly interested in hospital quality. Designing a national system for comparative performance evaluation of hospitals that will support informed consumer choice obligates understanding consumers' preferences regarding information and integrating them adequately into the system.