Does Location Determine Medical Practice Patterns?

This opinion piece critiques the large body of geographic variations research, finding much of it flawed or uninformative for policy. The author posits that wide geographic variation in fee-for-service Medicare spending and care delivery could be mitigated by reforming the payment system to promote better outcomes and greater value, rather than fees for service; fighting fraud and abuse; better defining and communicating best clinical practices; and encouraging physicians to enter integrated systems of care that provide greater care coordination and management.