Managing physician practice patterns: providing information feedback to improve quality care & reduce cost

Area of Science:

• Health Services Management
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Healthcare reform necessitates improved quality and cost containment.
• Physician practice pattern assessment is a key strategy for achieving these goals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of computerized feedback systems for assessing physician practice patterns.
• To evaluate the role of these systems in enhancing healthcare quality and reducing costs.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing computerized systems to collect and analyze physician practice data.
• Providing comparative feedback to physicians regarding their practice patterns.

Main Results:

• Computerized feedback systems offer a novel approach for physicians to benchmark their practices.
• Potential for practice pattern modification leading to improved care quality.

Conclusions:

• Computerized feedback systems represent a promising tool for healthcare quality improvement.
• These systems can empower physicians to reduce healthcare costs through informed practice adjustments.