Many Factors Influence Doctors
A wide degree of variety exists among the treatments that different doctors or health systems use on a day-to-day basis. There are many influences that contribute to variation in usual medical care, including: the doctor’s past experience with each medication, as well as information learned about the medication from other doctors, medical conferences, and pharmaceutical representatives. Doctors might also choose based on which medication is more affordable or has fewer side effects. Watch a video on variation in medical practices.
Doctors Need More Information
Doctors don’t always know which treatment is actually the best treatment, because there is not enough information comparing treatments to know. This is why Research on Medical Practices (ROMP) is important. Read more about approaches to ROMP or about options for informing patients.