Impact of consumer demand for maternity care data on healthcare policy

The open flow of information on the internet has increased the public's expectation of transparency in healthcare-related data. Many healthcare organizations and government entities, including Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, have implemented public reporting. However, public reporting of hospital-level data for maternity services is absent, outdated or limited in most states and accessibility of these data favor those with financial, educational and linguistic privilege. The speaker will discuss how engaging maternity care consumers and the lay public affects data reporting policies at the national and local level. In addition, the speaker will explain how publicizing rates of procedure utilization, specifically the cesarean section, creates an impetus for change and accountability in public reporting at the hospital level.