Evaluating Physician Impact Analysis

Physician impact analysis (PIA) is a planning tool intended to bring greater predictability to hospital medical staff resource planning by providing a means to predict the impact of a new or replacement physician's practice profile on a hospital's clinical program priorities, staffing resources, and costs. Two key methods advocated to undertake PIAs are the Department Survey Method and the Hospital Medical Records Institute Case-Mix Groups/Resource Intensity Weights Methods developed by the Hospital Medical Records Institute. This article discusses issues related to the methods, results, and uses of PIA information in Ontario hospitals. Further evaluation of the PIA process is recommended to increase our understanding of both the strengths and limitations of this planning tool.