Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Medical practice variations: changing the theoretical approach.

G P Westert1, P P Groenewegen

  • 1National Institute of Public Health and The Environment (RIVM), Department for Health Services Research, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. gert.westert@rivm.nl

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
|September 11, 1999
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Practice variation in home care nursing: mapping potential explanations through a scoping review of the literature.

Research in health services & regions·2024
Same author

Social concordance and patient reported experiences in countries with different gender equality: a multinational survey.

BMC primary care·2024
Same author

Imaging versus no imaging for low back pain: a systematic review, measuring costs, healthcare utilization and absence from work.

European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·2019
Same author

The benefits of co-location in primary care practices: the perspectives of general practitioners and patients in 34 countries.

BMC health services research·2018
Same author

[Characteristics and healthcare utilization of patients with highest costs of care].

Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde·2017
Same author

Dutch surgeons' views on the volume-outcome mechanism in surgery: A qualitative interview study.

International journal for quality in health care : journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care·2017
Same journal

How are non-optimal air temperatures related to health care use among older populations in Europe? A systematic scoping review 2000-2024.

Scandinavian journal of public health·2026
Same journal

Mapping exposure to violence and abuse among young people: the Norwegian YouthViolence surveys.

Scandinavian journal of public health·2026
Same journal

Prevalence and characteristics of concerned significant others of individuals with gambling problems in Sweden: A population-based study.

Scandinavian journal of public health·2026
Same journal

Danish validation of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT).

Scandinavian journal of public health·2026
Same journal

Associations between beer, wine, and spirits consumption and major mortality outcomes in 187,294 Norwegian men and women, with a focus on low-level wine intake.

Scandinavian journal of public health·2026
Same journal

Free school lunch or packed lunch: The relationship between lunch type, meal quality and family affluence in Norwegian primary schools.

Scandinavian journal of public health·2026
See all related articles

Understanding variations in medical practice requires focusing on the social context of doctors' daily work. New models emphasize structural factors like resources and reimbursement to explain differing local healthcare standards.

Area of Science:

  • Health Services Research
  • Medical Sociology
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • Documented variations in medical practice lack sufficient explanatory theories.
  • Existing research has not adequately addressed the social and contextual influences on physician behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a theoretical shift towards understanding practice variations through social context.
  • To present an alternative model highlighting structural factors influencing medical practice.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing theories on practice variation.
  • Development of a new theoretical model incorporating social and structural factors.
  • Hypothesis generation based on the proposed model.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Existing theories are insufficient for explaining practice variations.
  • Structural factors (e.g., hospital resources, reimbursement, patient availability, financing) significantly influence local medical care standards.
  • A new model is proposed to better explain practice variations.

Conclusions:

  • Theoretical progress in practice variation research necessitates a focus on social context.
  • Empirical research should prioritize hypotheses examining the role of social contexts in physician decision-making.
  • Future research should explore the interplay of structural factors and physician behavior.