Influencing Physician Prescribing: Does Clinical Data Work?

At the 2002 American Heart Association meeting last November, many cardiologists could be heard expressing frustration over how to interpret and apply clinical data in their day-to-day practices. At the same time, thought leaders involved in generating the periodic guideline recommendations designed to interpret such data could be heard complaining about the low rate of compliance with guidelines. Both are addressing the same core issue: How does data change practice patterns for the better, and how can that change be made rapidly and effectively given the time it takes to complete and analyze a data set on potential outcomes?