REPLY
Measurement and Data Collection in Medical Practice
Stephen K. Plume, MD;
Mark E. Splaine, MD, MS; and
Eugene C. Nelson, DSc, MPH
1 November 1998 | Volume 129 Issue 9 | Page 754
IN RESPONSE:
We thank Drs. Ault and Chander for their interest in our work and their endorsement of our approach. As Dr. Ault points out, current technology makes it possible to include data capture as a routine and helpful part of daily clinical care. As we design the templates for which data we want, it makes sense to us to imagine what our year-end reports should look like. Data captured on the fly, case by case, should be readily aggregated into useful summaries that will help us plan our future programs and budgets.
Dr. Chander makes a different kind of point, also worth emphasizing: the focus of our measures should not be confined to cost containment alone. Clinicians take care of individual persons who have more at stake than short-term cost containment. This is why we so strongly endorse "value compass" thinking, using a balanced set of measures that reflect all important dimensions of the care we give.
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Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center; Lebanon, NH 03756
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