Physician's profile: fact or fiction?

Many physicians are bombarded with endless reams of data regarding their performance. In the current climate, the data frequently have a more implicit financial viewpoint. In an effort to economize healthcare delivery, several factors are under investigation. Manpower, resource use, and product delivery are just a few examples of factors investigated. Managerial trends have led to the development of numerical data on how specific physicians treat particular disease processes on a dollar-and-cents basis. Physicians need a better understanding of these managerial data. Integrated healthcare delivery systems are developing in most regions of the country. External customers are using physician profile data for exclusion or inclusion criteria in contract negotiation. The purpose of this study was to illustrate a situation in which physician profile data are a more appropriate reflection of the integrated healthcare system's profile.