Understanding and using quality information for quality improvement: The effect of information presentation: International Journal for Quality in Health Care

Objective: To examine how information presentation affects the understanding and use of information for quality improvement. Design: An experimental design, testing 22 formats, and showing information on patient safety culture. Formats differed in visualization, outcomes and benchmark information. Intervention(s): Respondents viewed three randomly selected presentation formats in an online survey, completing several tasks per format. Setting: The hospital sector in the Netherlands. Participants: A volunteer sample of healthcare professionals, mainly nurses, working in hospitals. Main Outcome Measure(s): The degree to which information is understandable and usable (accurate choice for quality improvement, sense of urgency to change and appraisal of one's own performance). Results: About 115 healthcare professionals participated (response rate 25%), resulting in 345 reviews. Understandability: Information in tables (P = 0.007) and bar charts (P <0.0001) was better understood than radars. Presenting outcomes on a 5-point scale (P <0.001) or as '% positive responders' (P <0.001) was better understood than '% negative responders'. Formats without benchmarks were better understood than formats with benchmarks. Use: Bar charts resulted in more accurate choices than tables (P = 0.003) and radars (P