Table 1 Initial conditions to be taken into account when making inferences about practice patterns-outcomes associations
From: Outcomes research in the development and evaluation of practice guidelines
Patient factors | Physician factors | Environmental factors |
|---|---|---|
Demographics Severity of illness | Physicians' beliefs and interpretation of medical evidence | Medical insurance status (fee-for-service vs. managed care) |
Heterogeneity of disease expression | Medical uncertainty | Availability of needed procedure |
Patient preference | Specialist vs. generalist Physicians' skills | Proximity of medical centers with appropriate expertise |
Patient attitude towards disease | Inappropriate use Nature of group | Â |