Using population-based data to enhance clinical practice guideline development.

Objectives: Working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, and using tonsillectomies as a basis of inquiry, MCHPE examined surgical rates and patterns of practice. This project had three major aims: to review whether current patterns of delivery provide optimal care; to enhance the development of clinical guidelines; and to inform and influence physician practice.

Research Design: Both a population-based method of inquiry (which permits comparisons across population groups) and a provider-based approach (which offers insights into differences in the nature of care offered by different types of hospitals and physicians) were used.