[antitrust]

Adding to your comment:

There's a lot that cannot be quantified as well.

For example, some doctors I trust more than others because I think their diagnostic skills, empathy, listening skills and ability to absorb case knowledge are superior to the generalized level of their peers' abilities in the same area.

However, I wouldn't want someone to make an Excel spreadsheet with every patient's assessment of his/her doctor in the same way, since I think most patient's judgment skills will be on a similar standardized level that is below what I would need.

It's sort of like martial arts fighters. We can measure number of wins/losses at tournaments, but we can't assess how well they'd do when approaching an unknown situation with assailants who do not play by the rules.

[zdean]

Of course this is quantifiable. In the simplest sense, there's no reason you couldn't allow patients to rate doctors/hospitals based on these factors. But in a broader sense, you have to assume that these factors in turn affect the issues highlighted in the comment (infection rates, re-admission rates, etc.). If the listening skills do not in turn lead to better, measurable care, then it's a non-factor. If it does, then it can be measured.

Now, the measurements may not (especially initially) be perfect. But at least you're creating data points that give you SOMETHING to work with.