Change practice patterns without ruffling feathers.

When physicians act as change agents among their peers, they encounter many of the same resistances that quality improvement professionals face. Practice guidelines are one of several keys to influencing doctors to bring their utilization rates in line with their peers. Good data are another must-have tool for achieving physician buy-in on changing care practices. Most doctors pay attention to peer influence and pressure when it comes to changing their familiar care practices. Physicians report that sometimes the motivation to change springs from the desire to stave off external controls by payers and the government.