Public performance reporting is an increasingly common health policy tool to support accountability and quality improvement but there are few formal evaluations of this trend. In this review, we suggest that performance reporting may be an effective way to support improvements in performance when it is directed towards groups of providers rather than individuals and that there is enough evidence to support the use and further development of public performance reporting. However, the true impact of performance reporting depends on the policy context around reporting including clarity of strategy, incentives, and support for performance improvement.