So we have ratings for movies, computers, cell phones, restaurants, WHY NOT DOCTORS???
Have you ever heard the joke: What do you call the guy who graduated last in his class at medical school? You call him “DOCTOR.” You probably don’t think that this is funny if you are the one that is about to be “cut on.” I don’t either. It’s amazing to me. Some of the largest expenditures that we encounter in life are healthcare related, and yet the tools available to the general public in order objectively assess the proficiency of a particular medical practitioner are extremely limited. Sure, there are a relative plethora of “review” websites, magazines, etc. touting ratings, but these are, at best, subjective opinions or, worse, marketing-driven. So how do you “rate” a doctor? Word-of-mouth recommendations by previous patients do have their place. However, studies have shown that patient experience is highly dependent on the “bed-side manner” of the doctor. I don’t know about you, but I would prefer a doctor with a “god complex” and has great outcomes rather than the doctor that makes me feel good when we talk and has poor outcomes. Referrals and recommendations from other medical practitioners are also inherently biased. I will address the Anatomy of the Referral in a later posting, STAY TUNED! Surely, there has to be an objective way to compare results. I can tell you that you and I are not the only ones who would like to know the answer to this question. In the capitalist society that we live, insurance companies are highly motivated to find the answer as well.
The question: How do you collect, maintain, and compare information about outcomes and then publish this information in a way that’s easy to understand? Another important question: How do you eliminate bias?
Can I get an Amen?
Have you ever heard the joke: What do you call the guy who graduated last in his class at medical school? You call him “DOCTOR.” You probably don’t think that this is funny if you are the one that is about to be “cut on.” I don’t either. It’s amazing to me. Some of the largest expenditures that we encounter in life are healthcare related, and yet the tools available to the general public in order objectively assess the proficiency of a particular medical practitioner are extremely limited. Sure, there are a relative plethora of “review” websites, magazines, etc. touting ratings, but these are, at best, subjective opinions or, worse, marketing-driven. So how do you “rate” a doctor? Word-of-mouth recommendations by previous patients do have their place. However, studies have shown that patient experience is highly dependent on the “bed-side manner” of the doctor. I don’t know about you, but I would prefer a doctor with a “god complex” and has great outcomes rather than the doctor that makes me feel good when we talk and has poor outcomes. Referrals and recommendations from other medical practitioners are also inherently biased. I will address the Anatomy of the Referral in a later posting, STAY TUNED! Surely, there has to be an objective way to compare results. I can tell you that you and I are not the only ones who would like to know the answer to this question. In the capitalist society that we live, insurance companies are highly motivated to find the answer as well.
The question: How do you collect, maintain, and compare information about outcomes and then publish this information in a way that’s easy to understand? Another important question: How do you eliminate bias?
Can I get an Amen?
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