Importance of outcomes research in endoscopic practice

The field of outcomes research has emerged in response to rising health care costs and the continued scarcity of resources. This field concerns itself with identifying the most effective and efficient use of finite resources and is a monitoring system to ensure that quality is maintained. This commitment to quality, however, must extend to the level of the individual endoscopist to ensure that patients' interests are maintained. If physicians are not actively involved in data collection and measurement to improve the quality and value of their work, someone else undoubtedly will. Because quality assessment and the accountability revolution in health care has public support, individual practitioners and entire specialties increasingly will need to provide routine outcomes data.