Physicians and care management: more acceptance than you think

Physicians' acceptance of care management tools--practice guidelines, patient satisfaction surveys and practice profiling--is an important indication of whether these efforts to improve quality and control health costs will succeed. According to a new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC), a majority of physicians affected by these tools believe the overall effect of each on the quality and efficiency of care they provide has been positive. Physicians affected by related financial incentives are more likely to view care management techniques positively if they are risk adjusted to reflect the greater need for services by people with health problems.