Ethics

Physician track records

Anyone in the market for a new car can look through reams of information on the quality and performance of different models and make an informed decision on which vehicle is right for them. But when it comes to the more serious matter of choosing a physician or surgeon however, there isn't much to go by. In the US, several jurisdictions have passed legislation making it mandatory to publish information on physicians' track records. Ethicist Eike-Henner Kluge argues that Canada should follow suit, at least by making information that is already in the public domain easily available. [CMAJ 1999;160(9):1321-2]

An accompanying article points out that public domain contains only part of the record of physicians' performance: convictions for criminal offences, disciplinary action by the provincial colleges and malpractice suits that were successful in court. Not included are a host of other measures of performance, such as training records, continuing education, awards and other honours. The author argues that if the purpose of physician report cards is to allow patients to make more informed choices, then the information they make available should be more comprehensive. [CMAJ 1999;160(9):1323-4]