Paul Levy (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center CEO) has made a bold move in publishing his hospital's Central Line Infection data. Not necessarily because the results represent evidence of best practices, but because this may be the first example in the region of using these numbers artfully.

His latest blog posting on the subject can be found at http://runningahospital.blogspot.com/2007/02/we-saved-one-persons-life-can-we-keep.html

While we know that this kind of hospital data will form the basis for a patient's comparative evaluation and purchase decision support at some point in the future, Levy's bold stroke will likely create a preemptive impression that BIDMC is fully forthcoming about such measures — and other hospitals are not. Whether this yields any real long term business benefit remains to be seen, of course. But as the sector becomes fully transparent  and healthcare data sets are published, compared and analyzed it will be fascinating to watch more examples of how the numbers are "used" to their best advantage. Therein a business strategy lurks somewhere.

PS -- Invoking Mr Levy's blog is somewhat self-referential as he had kind words to say about our Q4 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts campaign. See what he had to say about "Isabel's Story" at http://runningahospital.blogspot.com/2006/11/isabels-story.html