Promoting Your Public Report: A Hands-on Guide

Note: Customize this newsletter article template, particularly the text in brackets, to fit your public report and local situation. Provide the revised version to your medical group stakeholders so that they can adapt, finalize, and use it on their Web site or newsletter to patients. Some will prefer an even shorter article.

Word Count: ~490 words

[Public Report Name]: Now You Can Compare Local Clinics and Hospitals

When you make health care decisions, such as knowing what kind of care is best for you, where do you get information? Talking with your doctor is the best approach, but some people ask friends, while others cross their fingers and guess. We want you to get the care that is right for you.

To help you get and stay as healthy as possible, we are pleased to announce that starting [DATE of report release], everyone in [community name] can look up comparisons of local [clinics / hospitals] to see who is doing a better job and to make more informed health decisions. And yes, our [clinic/medical group] is rated in the report.

The report is called [public report name—hyperlink to online report]. It is published by the nonprofit [Collaborative name], supported by [medical group name], along with many others in the community.

You and your family deserve care that is safe and effective—health care that cures what ails you or helps you stay as healthy as possible. The team at [medical group name] is committed to providing high-quality health care for all of our patients. Yet we know that quality isn't the same in every clinic or hospital across the country and even here in [community name].

The report shows that everyone has room to improve. For example, the [public report name] shows that, while doctors agree that people with diabetes should be checked for dangerous cholesterol levels, [# out of # (about ##%)] patients on average in this region don't get their cholesterol tested at least yearly. This is basic but important: without this test, there is no way to know if the patient's cholesterol is under control.

How can we close the gaps in care? It's a team effort. [Medical group name] has been a pioneer in improving health care quality locally and will continue to work with you and all of our patients to keep you as healthy as possible. You have a role, too. Be a partner to your doctor. Ask questions, make sure you understand the answers, and follow your doctor's advice. Look at the [public report name] to help inform decisions you make about your health and health care.

Others have a role too. Does your employer support the [Collaborative name] and ensure that your benefits cover the services recommended in the report? Does your health plan or insurer do this too? If you aren't sure, show them the [public report name] and ask.

The next [public report name] is expected to include [describe to show that your reports will evolve and improve over time]. The [public report name] can be found online at [Report URL]. It is also linked to the [medical group name] Web site at [http:// medical group Web site address]. To find out more about the nonprofit [Collaborative name], go to [Collaborative URL].

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