Measuring performance in primary care: what patient outcome indicators do physicians value?
BACKGROUND
Determining which patient outcome indicators may be appropriate to include in a primary care, practice performance tool is a difficult task. Unfortunately, no published studies currently document the opinions of these physicians regarding which indicators they most value.


OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the level of agreement among primary care physicians regarding the most salient patient outcome indicators for measuring performance in primary care.


METHODS
A random population survey of 115 adult primary care physicians. The survey consisted of a comprehensive list of health characteristics included in 8 validated instruments (eg, SF-36, Sickness Impact Profile), as well as 10 common clinical indicators and 6 health behaviors. Each item was ranked using a 5-point Likert scale regarding its value for inclusion in a performance measure.


RESULTS
Analysis of 93 returned surveys (RR 81%) indicated strong agreement (> or = 75%) that 19 health characteristics were important or very important. These characteristics fit into 8 domains: physical functioning, psychological functioning, social functioning, pain, quality of life, physiologic symptoms, health behaviors, and clinical indicators. Notably absent were measures of social support and health perceptions.


CONCLUSIONS
Strong agreement exists among practicing primary care physicians regarding the most valued patient outcome indicators. Development of practice performance measures should be influenced by such data.
Dassow
Paul L
PL
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA. pdass1@email.uky.edu
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care