title: Profiling efficiency and quality of physician organizations in Medicare.
abstract: This article presents a methodology for profiling the cost efficiency and quality of care of physician organizations (POs). The method is implemented for the Boston metropolitan area using 2002 Medicare claims. After adjustments for case mix and other factors, 4 of 30 organizations are identified with different than average efficiency Twenty-one of 30 organizations are identified with a different composite quality of care than average. Without changes in PO behavior, the gains from redirecting patients from lower to higher efficiency and quality providers are likely to be limited.
authors.affiliation: RTI International, Waltham, MA 02451, USA. gpope@rti.org
authors.forename: Gregory C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kautter
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking / Q000379:methods*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006278:Medicare; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D014481:United States