A comparison of performance assessment programs for medical practitioners in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United kingdom.
OBJECTIVE
To compare programs designed to assess the performance of practicing doctors in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.


METHODS
Senior representatives of 11 organizations undertaking performance assessments were invited to provide a description of their programs, using a standardized written questionnaire.


RESULTS
Collectively, the 11 organizations provide 16 performance assessment programs that operate on three levels: those that screen populations of doctors (Level 1), those that target "at risk" groups (Level 2), and those that assess individuals who may be performing poorly (Level 3). The 16 programs differ in such areas as the number of doctors enrolled, the number of assessments undertaken, the referral mechanisms, the outcomes of assessment, and in the resources provided for the task. They particularly differ in their choice of tools to assess performance.


CONCLUSIONS
Although a uniform international approach to performance assessment may be neither feasible nor desirable, an international comparison of current practice, as provided in this report, should stimulate further debate on the development of better performance assessment processes.
Finucane
Paul M
PM
Competence Assurance, Medical Council of Ireland, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. paulfinucane@mcirl.ie
Bourgeois-Law
Gisèle A
GA
Ineson
Sue L
SL
Kaigas
Tiina M
TM
D001315:Australia; D002170:Canada; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration; D009520:New Zealand; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000191:economics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D006113:United Kingdom