title: Medical care epidemiology and unwarranted variation: the Israeli case.
abstract: In an article in this Journal, Mendlovic and colleagues report on regional variation in medical care across Israeli regions. This study joins a growing literature demonstrating generally high variation in the provision of health care services within developed countries. This commentary summarizes the status of medical care epidemiology and its studies of unwarranted variation in health care, and provides a conceptual framework to guide future studies. Recommendations are offered for advancing studies in Israel that could guide policy development and clinical improvement.
authors.affiliation: The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, The Williamson Translational Research Building, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Improvement, Lebanon, 03756 NH USA.
authors.forename: David C
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9398-2151
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.affiliation: Goodman Health Services, 65 Whitney Farms Rd, North Yarmouth, 04097 ME USA.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Goodman
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D004813:Epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male