Assessing the effects of physician payment on treatment of mental disorders in primary care.

Despite the acknowledged importance of economic factors in the delivery of medical care, there are few empirical data on the effects of physician payment on the actual treatment of patients, particularly in terms of the treatment of patients with mental disorders in primary care. This paper discusses factors affecting the treatment of mental disorders in primary care, describes methods of physician payment and variables characterizing the nature of mental health treatment in primary care, examines hypothesized effects of payment method on treatment, suggests research approaches to the empirical study of these effects, and considers how a policy-relevant research agenda might lead to more appropriate models for physician payment.