Feedback data sources that inform physician self-assessment.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Performance
• Professional Development

Background:

• Self-assessment involves interpreting performance data against standards.
• Understanding external data sources is crucial for physician self-monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the external data sources physicians employ for self-monitoring.
• To explore how these external data influence physician self-assessment.

Main Methods:

• Conducted seven focus groups with 49 physicians involved in practice improvement activities.
• Utilized grounded theory to analyze data on external sources stimulating self-assessment.
• Examined participation in multisource feedback, patient/chart audit data, and practice-based learning groups.

Main Results:

• Physicians accessed information from structured programs, educational activities, colleagues, and patients.
• Data quality varied, often from informal sources with implicit standards.
• Self-selected data and activities were more readily accepted than mandatory ones.
• Physicians used data variably based on perceived accuracy, application, and utility.

Conclusions:

• Physicians interpret varied quality data and standards for self-assessment.
• Regular feedback and guidance on data seeking can enhance physician self-assessment.
• Tailoring feedback to physician interpretation of data accuracy and utility is key.