Methods for Provider Profiling Using Risk-Adjusted Assessments of Medical Outcomes

Abstract:  Provider profiling is the evaluation of the performance of hospitals, doctors and other medical practitioners to enhance the quality of medical care. We propose a new method and compare it to the conventional and Bayesian methodologies that are used for such “report cards.” The conventional statistical approach to these provider assessments is to use a likelihood-based frequentist methodology, and the new Bayesian method is patterned after this. We compare the three approaches using data employed by the New York State Department of Health for its annually released reports that profile hospitals permitted to perform coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Additional, constructed data sets are used to sharpen our conclusions. We also summarize and discuss important issues in the conduct of provider profiling such as inclusion of provider characteristics in the model and choice of criteria for determining unsatisfactory performance.

Refreshments and socializing: 3:00 - 3:30 PM