Likelihood of change: a study assessing surgeon use of multisource feedback data.
BACKGROUND
Multisource feedback, using questionnaire-based data from patients, coworkers, and medical colleagues, is designed to provide broad-based information about clinical performance to facilitate change.


OBJECTIVE
To determine and explain the likelihood that surgeons would implement change following receipt of performance data.


METHODS
Surgeons were surveyed to determine the likelihood they would make changes based on specific feedback about their clinical practices.


RESULTS
One hundred fifty-three surgeons (76.5%) responded to the follow-up survey. There was little correlation between performance ratings provided by self or medical colleagues and the likelihood of change. A linear regression analysis indicated that 19.2% of the variance in likelihood to change could be explained by age, time spent reviewing feedback, the gap between self- and other ratings, and surgical specialty.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgeons made few changes in practice in response to feedback data. Attention needs to be paid to methods that might increase surgeon use of performance data
Lockyer
Jocelyn
J
Office of Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. lockyer@ucalgary.ca
Violato
Claudio
C
Fidler
Herta
H
D000416:Alberta; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001519:Behavior; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis