Table 3

Change in practice performance ranking quartiles: comparing practice performance ranking based on tobacco users' report of provider performance (advice to quit) on immediate exit card assessment versus delayed telephone assessment.


Change in Performance based on Delayed Telephone Assessment


Performance Ranking Increased by one or more quartiles
Performance Ranking Unchanged
Performance Ranking Decreased by one or more quartiles

Practice Performance Ranking based on Immediate Exit Card Assessment*
n/N (%)
n/N (%)
n/N (%)
Fourth Quartile (N = 15) (Top Performers)
N/A
9/15 (60%)
6/15 (40%)
Third Quartile (N = 14)
3/14 (21%)
5/14 (36%)
6/14 (43%)
Second Quartile† (N = 16)
6/16 (38%)
8/16 (50%)
2/16 (12%)
First Quartile (N = 15) (Lowest Performers)
6/15 (40%)
9/15 (60%)
N/A
Overall (N = 60 Practices)
15/60 (25%)
31/60 (52%)
14/60 (23%)

* Practice Performance Ranking Quartiles based on proportion of patients from the practice reporting advice to quit (immediate exit card quartiles: First Quartile = 0% to 19% of tobacco users from the practice reporting advice; Second Quartile = 20% to 33% reporting advice; Third Quartile = 34% to 75% reporting advice; Fourth Quartile = 76% to 100% reporting advice).

† Second Quartile includes 16 practices due to a tie in ranking

Houston et al. BMC Health Services Research 2008 8:100   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-8-100