Data can be collected in many ways through practice observation,
but to be consistent with Miller’s definition of work-based assessment,
the observations need to be routine or covert to avoid an
artificial test situation. They can be made in any number of ways
and by any number of different observers. The most common
forms of observation-based assessment are ratings by supervisors,
peers (Table 11.1) and patients (Box 11.1), but nurses and other
allied health professionals may also be queried about a doctor’s
performance. A multi-source feedback (MSF) instrument is simply
ratings from some combination of these groups (Lockyer). Other
examples of observation include visits by standardised patients (lay
people trained to present patient problems realistically) to doctors
in their surgeries and audiotapes or videotapes of consultations
such as those used by the General Medical Council