Engaging Physicians in Pay for Performance: Promoting Partnerships That Align Data, Dollars, Care & Quality

In an atmosphere of shrinking reimbursements, one way to invigorate physician practice revenues is by participation in pay for performance (PFP) programs sponsored by CMS, Bridges to Excellence and others. Following their leads, many health plans, payors and purchasers are proposing PFP to providers to raise the bar on healthcare quality, accountability, access and outcomes and reduce unnecessary healthcare costs. While PFP can substantially enhance a provider's efficiency, potential PFP partners must tune into the needs and values of physicians to build buy-in and better ensure the success of the quality improvement initiative. In Engaging Physicians in Pay for Performance: Promoting Partnerships That Align Data, Dollars, Care & Quality, two industry leaders chronicle the development of mutually beneficial provider-plan partnerships in PFP. They identify practice workflow issues that can derail physician participation in PFP and provide inside details on how they have engaged physicians in PFP programs and sustained motivation for continued participation. The 46-page report also provides the results of HIN's 2007 e-survey on pay for performance initiatives in the healthcare industry reflecting the PFP experience from 157 health plans, providers and employers.