RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Since 1990, risk-adjusted outcomes for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery in New York state have been released to the public. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which referring cardiologists share these data with patients and use these data to make referrals. METHODS: A survey questionnaire was sent to all cardiologists in New York in the New York State Chapter of the American College of Cardiology. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty cardiologists responded to the survey. Most (94%) found the report "easy to read." A majority (67%) found the report to be "very accurate" or "somewhat accurate" in capturing differences in the performance of cardiac surgeons, whereas 33% found it to be "not at all accurate." Twenty-two percent reported that they "routinely discuss the reports with their patients," and 38% responded that the information has affected their referrals to surgeons "very much" or "somewhat." CONCLUSIONS: A majority of cardiologists has not generally changed their well-established referral patterns as a result of the New York coronary artery bypass graft surgery reports. However, there has been a modest impact on referrals resulting from the distribution of these reports. The findings also suggest that increased dialogue between clinicians and policy makers regarding the format and structure of public releases would be a valuable undertaking.
Assuntos
Atitude do Pessoal de Saúde , Cardiologia , Ponte de Artéria Coronária , Avaliação de Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde , Saúde Pública , Relações Públicas , Adulto , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Cardíacos/normas , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Cardíacos/estatística & dados numéricos , Ponte de Artéria Coronária/mortalidade , Ponte de Artéria Coronária/normas , Ponte de Artéria Coronária/estatística & dados numéricos , Previsões , Humanos , Sistemas de Informação , New York/epidemiologia , Avaliação de Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Educação de Pacientes como Assunto , Relações Médico-Paciente , Qualidade da Assistência à Saúde , Encaminhamento e Consulta/estatística & dados numéricos , Fatores de Risco , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Since 1990, risk-adjusted outcomes for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery in New York state have been released to the public. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which referring cardiologists share these data with patients and use these data to make referrals. METHODS: A survey questionnaire was sent to all cardiologists in New York in the New York State Chapter of the American College of Cardiology. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty cardiologists responded to the survey. Most (94%) found the report "easy to read." A majority (67%) found the report to be "very accurate" or "somewhat accurate" in capturing differences in the performance of cardiac surgeons, whereas 33% found it to be "not at all accurate." Twenty-two percent reported that they "routinely discuss the reports with their patients," and 38% responded that the information has affected their referrals to surgeons "very much" or "somewhat." CONCLUSIONS: A majority of cardiologists has not generally changed their well-established referral patterns as a result of the New York coronary artery bypass graft surgery reports. However, there has been a modest impact on referrals resulting from the distribution of these reports. The findings also suggest that increased dialogue between clinicians and policy makers regarding the format and structure of public releases would be a valuable undertaking.
