CHPI News
New Website for Physician Star Ratings
March 22, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO – March 22, 2017 – The California Healthcare Performance Information System (CHPI) has launched a new website, CAqualityratings.org, a free resource for consumers to search ratings on more than 10,000 physicians across California. Each physician received a rating of one to four stars on measures in their area of specialty.
“Access to physician information will help equip California consumers with the tools they need to make good health choices and be effective advocates for their own care,” said Liz Helms, president and CEO, California Chronic Care Coalition and CHPI board member. “CAqualityratings.org is a first-of-its-kind consumer resource that can empower the consumer’s ability to talk with their physician and compare how other providers are rated throughout California.”
Data on more than 10 million patients was analyzed to create the ratings, which measure how well physicians and practice sites provided recommended medical tests and procedures for patients with certain healthcare conditions.
Consumers can use the performance ratings to answer questions, such as:
- Are physicians meeting the highest standards for ensuring their patients are regularly screened for breast cancer?
- How often do physicians monitor the medications their patients are taking?
- How often do physicians provide recommended treatments (especially for those with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure)?
“These ratings are based on physician-led methodology to help drive further improvements in California’s healthcare system,” said Parag Agnihotri, MD, medical director, Continuum of Care, Sharp Rees Stealy Medical Group and chair, CHPI Physician Advisory Group. “The goal is to empower patients to have a conversation with their physician to increase communications and build trust — improving the overall care experience.”
CAqualityratings.org is searchable by physician name, medical specialty and location to help consumers to learn more about their current physician, or assist them to find one that is right for them.
All rating methodology was developed by a physician-led advisory group and only uses objective, statistically reliable data from health insurance organizations. Data for CAqualityratings.org was provided by Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, UnitedHealthcare of California, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS has certified CHPI's methods to rate physicians, the process for physicians to review and correct their results, and plans to publish ratings for the public — one of only 16 programs nationwide to receive this designation.
For more information about third-party data use requests, or if you are a health plan interested in joining the collaborative, visit chpis.org.
ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE PERFORMANCE INFORMATION SYSTEM
The California Healthcare Performance Information System is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, public benefit corporation with operations and methods informed by input from industry experts and stakeholders — including healthcare purchasers, consumers, providers, and health plans. This collaborative works to provide trustworthy information to help the public and healthcare purchasers find high-quality, high-value health care. For more information, visit chpis.org.