Sometimes, it's who you know that makes a difference. A new study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that when primary care physicians' patients were referred to specialists with whom they trained in medical school or later programs, patient reviews of the specialist were higher than when there was no such bond - even if the PCP didn't make the referral. In evaluations at one large health system, patients said these specialists treated them with more concern, gave clearer explanations, engaged them in more shared decision-making, and spent more time with them compared to patients who saw specialists without ties to their PCPs.
The researchers suspect specialists knew PCPs would read their clinical notes or hear from their patients. As opposed to incentives that involve money, "this study suggests potentially large gains in quality from encouraging and harnessing physician-peer relationships," the authors write.
Today, Medical Societies like NAM are a primary means for physicians to develop peer relationships in a community, and the study underlines one of the many benefits of membership.
