title: Pathways: improving outcomes, not just 'cookbook medicine'.
abstract: A Kaiser Permanente medical director cites four benefits to be derived from using clinical guidelines: better outcomes, faster patient recovery, reduced costs, and increased physician accountability. And, he notes, physicians are free to deviate from the guidelines--so long as they can justify their actions.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Malley
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D003363:Cost Control; D019091:Critical Pathways; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D007902:Length of Stay; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*