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Government plans for public reporting of performance data in health care: the case against

Jeffrey Braithwaite and Russell Mannion
Med J Aust 2011; 195 (1): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2011.tb03187.x
Published online: 4 July 2011

Health services experts Jeffrey Braithwaite and Russell Mannion doubt the value

Against the idea that publicly reported performance measurement, like apple pie, parenthood and the national flag, deserves a warm, uncritical glow of universal support should be roundly rejected. Introducing any costly new initiative must always be analysed with a cool head for its risks and potential downside. Where is the Australian business case, or the international cost–benefit analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis, applied to Australia, that compels us to not only accept, but insist on its introduction? These have not been provided by proponents to date.


  • 1 Australian Institute of Health Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW.
  • 2 Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.


Correspondence: j.braithwaite@unsw.edu.au

Competing interests:

None identified.

  • 1. Smith PC, Mossialos E, Papanicolas I, Leatherman S. Conclusions. In: Smith PC, Mossialos E, Papanicolas I, Leatherman S, editors. Performance measurement for health systems improvement: experiences, challenges and prospects. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
  • 2. Iezzoni L, editor. Risk adjustment for measuring health care outcomes. 3rd ed. Chicago, Ill: Health Administration Press, 2003.
  • 3. Hindle D, Braithwaite J, Iedema R, Travaglia, J. Patient safety: a comparative analysis of eight inquiries in six countries. Sydney: Centre for Clinical Governance Research, University of New South Wales, 2006.
  • 4. Davies H, Mannion R. Clinical governance: striking a balance between checking and trusting. In: Smith P, editor. Reforming health care markets: An economic perspective. Buckingham: Open University Press; 2010: 247-267.
  • 5. Mannion R, Goddard M. Impact of published clinical outcomes data: case study in NHS hospital trusts. BMJ 2001; 323: 260-263.

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