Table 1. Research Priorities

Task 1: Educate and Motivate Consumers to Use Quality Information.

• How does learning about quality affect minority, low literate, and under served populations? Do they stand to gain the same benefits as other groups?

Task 2: Improve the Supply and Delivery of Consumer-Oriented Quality Information

• Why aren’t consumers receptive to current quality information?
• What will make information salient to consumers?

Task 3: Develop Consumer-Oriented Quality Measures

• What domains of quality are most important to consumers?

Task 4: Identify the Market Characteristics and Purchasing Strategies that Support Consumer Use of Quality Information

• What evidence is there to suggest that the consumer choice strategy actually works in practice?
• What are the roles that purchasers can play to both complement and support consumers in driving quality improvement and system change?
• Is the consumer choice model appropriate for different kinds of markets and different communities?

Task 5: Evaluate the Utility and Impact of Consumer Information Efforts

• What expectations are realistic?

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