Strategies for reporting health plan performance information to consumers: evidence from controlled studies.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To assess whether presentation approaches designed to be more meaningful result in greater weighting of quality information in decisions. An emerging body of research indicates that the way information is presented affects how it is interpreted and how it is weighted in decisions. Comparative health plan performance reports are not being used by consumers possibly because the information presented is difficult to use. The next generation of these reports should be designed to support decision making.

DESIGN AND STUDY PARTICIPANTS:
The study uses a controlled experimental design. Participants (n = 162) were randomly assigned to different conditions and asked to complete tasks related to using quality information and making health plan selections. Dependent variables included the amount of weight given to quality information in choices and decision accuracy.

RESULTS:
Some presentation approaches make it easier for users to process and integrate quality data into their choices. However, other presentation formats influence consumers' decisions in ways that undermine their self-interest.

CONCLUSIONS:
Findings indicate that presenting quality data in a more evaluable format increases the weight it carries in consumer decisions. Every change made in the presentation of comparative data has the potential to influence decisions. Those who disseminate information have a responsibility to be aware of how they use that influence and to direct it in productive and defensible ways. The alternative is to manipulate people in ways that are unknown, are not thought out, or are not defensible, but are no less manipulative.

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Author information

Author/s: Hibbard, Judith H (JH); Slovic, Paul (P); Peters, Ellen (E); Finucane, Melissa L (ML);

Affiliation: Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon, Eugene 97403, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Evaluation Studies; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Health services research (Health Serv Res), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Apr; vol 37 (issue 2) : pp 291-313

Dates: Created 2002/05/30; Completed 2002/06/14; Revised 2008/11/20;

PMID: 12035995, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Analysis of Variance
Benchmarking
Chi-Square Distribution
Consumer Satisfaction - statistics & numerical data
Decision Making
Female
Health Benefit Plans, Employee - standards; utilization

Health Benefit Plans, Employee - standards; utilization
Health Services Research
Humans
Information Services - standards
Male
Oregon
Quality Indicators, Health Care
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