Evaluating health plan quality 2: Survey design principles for measuring health plan quality (original) (raw)

hysicians offer an important viewpoint on health plan quality. 1 The physician viewpoint is important not only because physicians can provide unique and timely information but also because the physician viewpoint can be used to corroborate other measures. 1-4 Physicians observe the point where health plan processes and structures (eg, utilization review, profiling, formularies, guidelines, provider networks) meet patients. In addition to this unique vantage point, physicians have a distinct blend of diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge, training, skills, and normative commitments. 4,5 Consequently, physicians can provide an important perspective on how healthcare is managed within a health plan, an assessment of quality, and a timely, early warning about possible problems relating to utilization management. Our goal was to develop a survey instrument that obtains the physician's perspective on health plan quality and that results in information that is informative and useful to consumers, health plans,