The study was based on two measures — competency scores of trainees from their residency program and unsolicited complaints from patients and coworkers tracked through the “Patient Advocacy Reporting System,” which is used by 200 health systems and practice groups across the country.
The study found that 75 percent of first-year doctors in post-training practices had a PARS score of zero. 21.7 percent had scores ranging from one to 21, and 3.4 percent had scores of 21 or more. The scores are based on the number and severity of patient complaints.
The study also found that the eight percent of physicians who scored lowest for professionalism and interpersonal communication were 1.2 times more likely to be among the top 3.4 percent in PARS year one scoring.
