STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive review. OBJECTIVES: To describe the role of pay-for-performance as a health care policy that has a significant influence on the management of spinal disorders, and to consider parameters of quality measure that are likely to optimize the efficacy of a pay-for-performance system as applied to spine care. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Pay-for-performance arrangements have been adopted in many areas of medicine with limited evidence for improvement in quality of care. There is an important role for a system that will improve quality of care in the management of spinal disorders. The absence of accepted evidence-based approaches to the management of spinal disorders makes the choice of parameters to measure for quality difficult. RESULTS: Performance parameters to consider include a continuum of measures from process variables that focus on a discrete component of the health care experience, to outcome variables that encompass the end result of care. There are advantages and limitations to each parameter discussed. CONCLUSION: A pay-for-performance system in the management of spinal disorders should include both process variables that measure safety and outcome variables that reflect the end result of care.
STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive review. OBJECTIVES: To describe the role of pay-for-performance as a health care policy that has a significant influence on the management of spinal disorders, and to consider parameters of quality measure that are likely to optimize the efficacy of a pay-for-performance system as applied to spine care. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Pay-for-performance arrangements have been adopted in many areas of medicine with limited evidence for improvement in quality of care. There is an important role for a system that will improve quality of care in the management of spinal disorders. The absence of accepted evidence-based approaches to the management of spinal disorders makes the choice of parameters to measure for quality difficult. RESULTS: Performance parameters to consider include a continuum of measures from process variables that focus on a discrete component of the health care experience, to outcome variables that encompass the end result of care. There are advantages and limitations to each parameter discussed. CONCLUSION: A pay-for-performance system in the management of spinal disorders should include both process variables that measure safety and outcome variables that reflect the end result of care.
Authors: Susan Hart-Hester; Warren Jones; Valerie J M Watzlaf; Susan H Fenton; Carol Nielsen; Mary Madison; Chris Arthur; David Marbury; LeeAnn Rudman; Randi Patterson; Rebecca Reynolds; William Rudman Journal: Perspect Health Inf Manag Date: 2008-09-19