Testing Consumers' Comprehension of Quality Measures Using Alternative Reporting Formats

CMS has publicly reported nursing home quality measures since 2002, but research has shown that many users do not understand them. Alternative visual displays may improve comprehension. We developed seven reporting templates in different formats, including bar graphs like those displayed on the CMS Nursing Home Compare Web site www.medicare.gov, and tested them with 90 individuals age 45-75, using structured protocols.