Credentialing & Privileging

Medical report cards may hurt patient care

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, January 20, 2005

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According to a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, medical report cards aimed at improving patient care may actually do the opposite in certain cases.

 

In the study, researchers surveyed interventional cardiologists in New York State; specialists who perform emergency angioplasty on patients suffering heart attacks.

 

New York is among several states that publish patient death rates for doctors and hospitals. Several states are also currently considering adopting the practice.

 

But some medical experts have complained that these mortality statistics actually discourage doctors from taking a chance on patients who could die, simply because that death would appear on the doctor's record. However, if no emergency procedure is done and the patient dies, the death is not on the doctor's record.

 

In the anonymous survey, 120 specialists said the medical report cards strongly influence their decision to perform angioplasty.



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