So, yeah, it's variation in mortality rate, meaning one institution with a higher mortality rate than another. And that's a big problem. It's a big problem when you don't know what to do about it. And it's less of a problem if you understand what to do or have some handle on what you can do about it. It's a bigger problem when you're completely out to sea in terms of acknowledging from the beginning that you're already doing the best job you can.
People are competitive .
Hospitals are competitive for patients. Doctors must be competitive for patients. Our primary purpose and our reason for existence is to take better care of our patients. We are allowed to share information. Society would allow clinicians to share information if the end result is a better outcome for their patients.