Although report cards showing the mortality rates of individual cardiac surgeons have been available in New York State for more than 20 years, a recent study found cardiologists made little use of this information when making referrals.
The study, published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, examined whether the publicly available report cards have influenced cardiologists' referral patterns. The report cards, which show risk-adjusted mortality rates for individual cardiac surgeons, were introduced in 1991. A 1996 survey found the report cards had little effect on cardiologist referral recommendations to surgeons.
For this study, researchers surveyed cardiologists in New York in 2011 to assess their awareness of the report cards, their use of them when making referral decisions and how often they discussed the report cards with patients in need of cardiac surgery.
They found 94 percent of cardiologists were aware of the report cards, but only 25 percent said the report cards had "moderate or substantial influence" on their referral decisions, according to the study. Further, 71 percent of cardiologists did not discuss the report cards with their patients who needed cardiac surgery.
More Articles on Report Cards and Cardiologists:
New York Hospital Group Releases Report Card on Hospital Report Cards
Oregon ACOs to Get Report Cards
Study: Heart Failure Patients Have Better Outcomes With Cardiologist Over General Physician