Cover: Pay for Performance

Pay for Performance

Its Influence on the Use of IT in Physician Organizations

Published In: The Journal of Medical Practice Management, v. 21, no. 5, Mar./Apr. 2006, p. 301-305

Posted on RAND.org on January 01, 2006

by Thomas R. Williams, Kristiana Raube, Cheryl L. Damberg, Russell E. Mardon

The introduction of information technology (IT) in physician organizations and practices is a source of great interest to physician leaders and policy makers. In this article, the authors describe what may be the nation's largest pay-for-performance program, its performance metrics, and incentives for the implementation and use of IT in medical groups and independent physician associations (IPAs). Results include the increased use of electronic clinical data, point-of-care technology, and the generation of more actionable reports for quality improvement. Noteworthy are the efforts by physician organizations to enhance data collection to demonstrate improved clinical performance and earn financial incentives.

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