Incentives for Better Physicians

Coalition offers physicians incentives for better care.

"In an ambitious effort to shore up U.S. primary-care medicine, a coalition" of large employers "is launching an initiative to pay doctors hefty bonuses for creating 'medical homes' for patients."

This "is the latest and perhaps most far-reaching effort by Bridges to Excellence, a program backed by big employers and health plans, and a big player in the movement to provide physicians with financial incentives for taking better care of patients."

In 2007, "the program paid out roughly $10 million in bonuses to doctors in the 18 states where it is active."

This latest venture requires that primary-care physicians "adopt a more integrated approach to coordinating patients' care," such as "following up on referrals to other physicians, systematically tracking tests, flagging abnormal results, and adhering to widely accepted medical guidelines to monitor and treat diabetes and other chronic conditions."

In return, physicians "can receive $125 annual bonuses for each patient covered by a participating employer, up to a maximum $100,000 a year."