What methodological considerations are important for provider profiling and public reporting?
Methodological considerations are important for provider profiling and public reporting. Numerous studies have shown the superiority of clinical over administrative data for these purposes. Administrative data lack critical clinical variables that are necessary for adequate risk adjustment, they may confuse comorbidities and complications, and they may contain inaccurate case numbers and mortality rates. It is also important to monitor unintended negative consequences, such as gaming of the reporting system and avoidance of high-risk patients (risk aversion), the precise group of patients who are most likely to benefit from aggressive intervention.