Evaluating health plan quality 3: survey measurement properties.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the measurement and scaling properties of survey items designed to measure health plan quality from a physician's perspective.


METHODS
Prospective survey design with multivariate regression analysis.


METHODS
Data were from 3798 physicians representing 23 health plans in 5 regions: Florida, New York, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Scale reliability was assessed by using the Cronbach alpha. Generalist and specialist scales were compared with structural equation modeling. Multivariate analysis was used to examine internal validity by testing theoretically based hypotheses.


RESULTS
Scales constructed from the data were reliable, were stable across both generalist and specialist physicians, and demonstrated construct validity. Hypotheses about the relationship between physician experiences with a health plan and physician recommendations of the plan were confirmed, supporting construct validity.


CONCLUSIONS
The items on the survey instrument can be used with confidence to measure health plan quality from a physician perspective.
Wholey
Douglas R
DR
Division of Health Services Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn 55455, USA. whole001@umn.edu
Finch
Michael
M
Christianson
Jon B
JB
Knutson
David
D
Rockwood
Todd
T
Warrick
Louise
L
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014481:United States