A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com.
I have a “like-hate” relationship with clinical metrics, performance measurements, and other such things. By now, almost all physicians live with them in the form of insurer “report cards,” PQRS, and “meaningful” use. Some of us have even more exposure to them by participating in patient-centered medical homes and accountable care organizations.
Why “like”? Because I believe they can help you to know how you’re doing. Happy patients, full schedules, phones ringing off the hook with new patient requests, and the belief that you’re doing a good job delivering care aren’t enough. Few things are more sobering than seeing data on the percentage of your diabetes patients who are not at goal, those with hypertension whose pressures are not under control, or those who haven’t undergone colon cancer screening. I know that many question the relevance of some of the clinical measures, which often look at intermediate and perhaps less meaningful outcomes or report on process, but they can be more informative than the gut sense that we have on how we’re doing our jobs.
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