In patients' hunt for care, doctor database 'a place to start'

Created for USA Today by the Santa Fe medical information firm Qforma, a new database lists about 6,000 specialists in the treatment of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma from more than 300 communities across the coutntry. More doctors in other specialties will be added in coming months. The Qforma analysis attempts to track subtle differences in doctors' practice patterns that reveal, on a local level, which doctors most influence their peers. The project's goal is to offer consumers an innovative resource during the complex decision of how to choose a doctor, according to USA Today.