THE ANNUAL GUIDE TO AMERICA BEST HOSPITALS - EVIDENCE OF INFLUENCE AMONG HEALTH-CARE LEADERS

To determine health care leaders' opinions about a prominent guide to hospital quality, we surveyed 82 chief executive officers (CEOs) and 8 0 chiefs of staff of hospitals listed in the 1994 edition of the guide and 50 directors of employer-based coalitions. Most of the CEOs (87%) and chiefs of staff (86%) said the guide was used in advertising. Mor e than three quarters of the CEOs, chiefs of staff, and coalition dire ctors who were familiar with the guide thought it was accurate, and mo st indicated that key constituencies (e.g., physicians, corporate mana gers) were aware of the guide. Our results demonstrate the likely infl uence of one prominent guide to health care quality and highlight the need for formal independent assessment of such guides.