Real-time location systems, normative messaging and modifying clinician behavior: a pilot study

Abstract

Modifying physician behavior is challenging. Normative feedback may offer an opportunity. In this pilot study, we explore whether normative feedback on workflow behavior can modify clinician behavior. In the two study clinics, clinicians and patients wore real-time location system tags during the workday to measure face time, wait time and flow time. For 6 months, individuals could identify the performance of themselves, their peers and their clinic. Overall variability in face time, wait time and flow time decreased significantly across all groups, except for minority and attending clinicians where face time and flow time increased in duration and variability. Our pilot study suggests that providing normative feedback on workflow is potentially an effective way of modifying clinician practice behavior.