Abstract

Modernizing the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services “Care Compare” Public Reporting Websites: Assisting Patients to Make Informed Decisions and Incentivizing Providers to Improve Care

Roberta Constantine, RN, BSN, MBA, PhD, Kathryn Foster, MS, Holly Neumann, MPPA, Stephen Brown, MS, Sarah Park, BS Research Triangle Institute

APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) “Compare public websites provide data on several provider types such as physicians, nursing homes, dialysis facilities, home health services, and hospice. The data are intended to improve medical care quality and assist patients and families to make informed decisions about their care. The information displayed on the websites include provider performance on quality measures, star ratings, patient survey data, location details, ownership, staffing, and contact information.
Prior to the fall of 2020, there were eight existing Compare websites used for CMS public reporting, one for each provider type. In response to an increasingly tech-savvy beneficiary population, CMS launched the eMedicare Initiative in 2018. The goal of this initiative was to update CMS resources and websites to provide a “seamless online experience to help consumers access health care data and select among providers.
Building on the eMedicare Initiative using a human-centered design approach, CMS combined and standardized the numerous provider-specific websites, creating a platform for users to access information through a single point of entry and simplified navigation. With just one click, patients can find information instead of searching through multiple tools. By offering a user-friendly interface and simple design that is optimized for mobile and tablet use, it is easier than ever to find information important to patients when shopping for health care. Enhancements for mobile use give practical benefits such as accessing the website using a smartphone. In December of 2020 CMS successfully launched “Care Compare .
This presentation describes the background, development, and implementation of the new Care Compare website. We describe key decisions made, new features and improvements, types of providers and available information as well as improvements planned in the coming years. We discuss challenges encountered and lessons learned. We focus on information available to patients and families, both strength and weaknesses, and how that information can be used for provider selection and for providers to improve their care.