Creating Physician Performance Reports: Early Lessons from the Field

Publication Date: September 2006

Publisher: California HealthCare Foundation

Author(s): Stephanie S. Teleki; Rebecca N. Shaw; Cheryl L. Damberg; Elizabeth A. McGlynn

Research Area: Health

Type: Brief

Abstract:

Methods for measuring physician performance are becoming a focal point in the effort to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. As interest grows, so does the level of understanding about the most effective techniques for providing such feedback to individual physicians. The mechanisms for reporting performance data to physicians vary in terms of objectives, but the underlying goals are often the same: to make physicians aware of their performance and to encourage improvement in specific aspects of care delivery, such as clinical quality, patient experience, patient safety, and resource use. This publication summarizes a RAND Health study designed to gather and synthesize lessons being learned about physician performance feedback. It includes experiences from medical groups and health plans nationwide, as well as key considerations for those interested in producing effective feedback reports for physicians.