Should we use outcomes data to help manage general practice?

摘要

More information on selected outcomes at practice level are being made public,1 an outcomes framework for monitoring the performance of the NHS has been introduced,2 research is investigating the elements of primary care that can influence outcomes,3 and outcome measures are included in the monitoring of clinical commissioning groups.4 In monitoring and rewarding general practices, has the time come, therefore, for shifting the emphasis from the process indicators of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) to genuine measures of outcomes? In this article, we discuss whether we should aim, in partnership with patients, to develop outcomes monitoring combined with greater understanding of the role of demographic, economic, and social determinants of health.