Information systems and physician practice patterns: England and America compared

This paper discusses the opportunity for hospital management to make greater use of comparative data on physician productivity. We report findings from a study on utilization information provided to physicians in 19 US and British hospitals. Most doctors reported that they did not receive information comparing their own use of resources with that of their peers. However, our survey found that a significant majority of doctors want more information and find it useful; but, that hospital managers perceive doctors as being uninterested in such information. While there are wide variations between the two countries and between their hospitals in data collection and information systems, most hospitals surveyed could make better use of utilization information to influence physician practice patterns.