Transparency

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) believes that transparency in health care refers to sharing information that can be easily verified for accuracy. Information, underlying data and process should have transparency and an explicit disclosure of data limitations. Transparency in health care must be supported by all stakeholders who hold information related to the payment, coverage, or evaluation of health care services, including but not limited to public and private payers, hospital systems, and other care delivery organizations.

Transparency includes, but is not limited to, easy availability of:

• payment policies
• claims adjudication software logic edits
• fee schedules
• clinical policies
• data analysis methodology and performance measures used in rating physician performance
• physician health care cost and quality information

(2007) (September 2024 COD)