Neither a hard-earned reputation nor brand equity purchased with expensive advertising are enough to maintain consumers’ trust. Increasingly, for non-emergent care, consumers want to know how much a procedure will cost, and they want to compare providers’ quality, safety and outcomes records. They want transparency, with essential information provided in a way that facilitates comparison shopping.

The challenges posed by the growing demand for transparency will require advance planning, new investments, and new ways of conducting the business side of caring for patients.