Tip of the week: Group data should be part of OPPE

Certain practitioners, such as hospitalists, practice as a group and provide coverage for each other. For such groups, consider including group-level data in the OPPE report in addition to individual data. If the practitioners work as a group, it makes sense to review their data as a group. Often, hospitals contract with groups and establish group performance expectations, so it is not at all unusual to evaluate group-level performance.

Group-level comparisons can be helpful in environments where specific practitioner attribution is challenging, such as in academic medical centers where faculty supervision of residents can vary daily, attending assignments change based on the date, or an assignment change occurs in the middle of a patient’s hospital stay. If an OPPE report unearths a potentially adverse variation in group performance, then the organization may have to isolate the origin of the variance by subjecting the group to FPPE. However, OPPE requires feedback on individual practitioners, so include both group and practitioner-specific data in every report. Consider including an explanation of why both data sets are presented in the report, perhaps as a cover letter.

This week’s tip is from The Complete Guide to OPPE: Strategies for Medical Staff Professionals, Physician Leaders, and Quality Directors, by Evalynn Buczkowski, RN, BSN, MS; Valerie Handunge, MA; and Wendy R. Crimp, BSN, MBA, CPHQ.