title: Variations on a theme. Dartmouth studies suggest that more care isn't always better, with better hospitals using fewer resources, physician visits.
abstract: More care isn't always better, according to new studies, which arrive as pay-for-performance plans are taking hold. WellPoint's Leonard Schaeffer, left, said the studies prompt questions about whether health plans should pay hospitals with high-usage patterns more if their outcomes are no better than hospitals with less use.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006278:Medicare / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D014481:United States; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000191:economics*