The 2003 International Health Policy Survey will assess health care system performance from the perspective of hospital administrators. To be conducted in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the survey will examine how hospitals in each country are addressing the common challenges of quality improvement, patient safety, nursing shortages, patient-centered care, bed closings and emergency room crises, and investment in information technology. It will provide a cross-national perspective on the trade-offs hospitals are making and on opportunities for innovation. Findings, which will be released at the Fund's 2003 international symposium, will highlight differences in national policy and should generate interest among policymakers, health ministers, researchers, and the media. A paper discussing survey results and policy implications will be prepared for publication in Health Affairs. http://www.harvard.edu