Heated Debate Surrounds Physician Compare Database
Connecticut Mirror: Physicians, Patient Advocates Differ Over Quality MeasurementsPhysician Compare might not seem like the kind of tool that would spark a divisive policy debate. It's a website, recently launched by Medicare officials, that allows patients to find a cardiologist, a pediatrician, or other Medicare provider in their zip code. But while it's just a physician directory now, eventually it will become much more - an online database that includes quality-of-care measurements and patient reviews. And it's become the subject of a quiet but fierce tussle between consumer advocates and doctors groups, which see the potential for the wesbite in starkly different terms (Shesgreen, 3/7). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
