Policy Update

Making nursing home quality information publicly available has had little effect on occupancy rates, calling into question the extent to which the federal Nursing Home Compare Web site is used or whether it is helpful to consumers, according to a study in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.

The author raised concern about the results of reporting select quality measures and advocated additional research into how publicly reported nursing home quality information affects care.

This week's Health Policy Research Update also highlights studies addressing:

• Implications of the Medicare drug benefit on beneficiaries' compliance with drug regimens; and
  
  
• Screening inmates for sexually transmitted infections.