Disclosure of Physician Information

¶ … physician reports cards fair and balanced? Take a position on this issue and explain your view. Provide at least two examples from references that support your position.

According to my opinion the answer is fair and balance at some point and unfair and unbalanced at the same time because the online sites having option rate your doctors receives very few reactions and they are mostly responded by unhappy patients who are unhappy with something. The reason behind their unhappiness is they did not get what they wanted. On the other side, few happy patients visit these sites and talk about it but unhappy patients often visit these sites. For Example: 10 happy patients rated the doctors and all are good ratings so it would be not wise to select that particular doctor on the basis of few ratings. It is fair and balances in other aspect as well that patients would know about their treatment like how they talk with patients, how carefully they treat their patients, how much time they give to their patients, how much patients keep waiting (appointment problems). The data released by insurance company claims data are misleading as it does not about reflective of care. Metrics containing information regarding patients who got cure from blood pressure and how many have gotten mammograms paints the picture in favor of patients than the doctors as it more say about patients. Another problem in rating physicians is of selection bias. Good physicians often attend sicker and more difficult patients so in response they get negative outcomes if unprocessed statistics are used (Steve, 2010). For Example: It is possible for unhappy patients to release their frustration which they experienced might be misleading and downgrade the rating of physician so it would not be a smart choice to make my decision on the ratings given by patients. For Example, development and advancement in medical treatments are rapidly changing so there are chances that report card may select old information on treatments which will be misleading because that do not accurately paint the picture of treatment which is being delivered to patients after advancement. So one should make sure the information used must be updated (Hall & Kidd, 2000). The other problem in analyzing the fair and balanced physician reports is that what should be considered "meaningful information." For instance, the patient who had a negative medical experience may dent the overall performance of the physician because one negative point overweight the positives. To put it differently, Physicians are human being so they can make mistakes. Suppose in their whole life they successfully treat every patient but one time by mistake they made mistake which will impact on his whole experience and patients would negatively perceive it (Fielding & Sutherland, 1999).

Do physician report cards provide information consumers need to make medical decisions? Why or why not? Explain your answer.

"Physician report card" has become an important tool to assist patients in making decisions regarding their health care. Patients heavily rely on physician report cards while making decision about their health care as it provides information on timely basis. Report card helps patients in many aspects:

It gives an in-depth understanding about their services (like how physician treats) comparison to other physician.

It allows patients to make logical and educated decision on healthcare.

It gives information regarding the discipline and their practices

The physician report card tells the consumer about that physician was educated and licensed to practice their area of specialty.

Physician report not only enables the physicians to get respect but also give right patients to make decision to receive quality of care

It assists patients to receive information regarding risk and benefits of a procedure which help them to make decision in selecting physician.

It tells the experience of physicians and allows patients to see the strong work of physicians.

It provides transparency

Physician report card shares the experience of other patients which is worth for new patients because it satisfies more because they get the pragmatic results. This aspect helps them most in decision making process.

Report card also share which physician is uncaring and dismissive, so the sensitive patients may select these types of physicians while making decision.

Online Physician report cards facilitate patients to seek physician information at home without wasting their energy and empowered them to choose best physician for their problems.