The use of item importance weights in assessing physician performance with predetermined criteria indices.

Conditions for using single measures or combinations of measures of physician performance are discussed. Studies reporting combination indices of proficiency are reviewed for their use of equally or differentially weighted components and for the use of these with many or with single diagnoses, Comparisons of diagnostic-specific measures are made using differential and equal item weights. Under the general conditions of this research, few psychometric differences existed. The use and acceptability of differential item weights in this research are also discussed.