OBJECTIVE: To describe the assessment made by Mallorca's primary care professionals of the economic incentives system set up in 1994 and find their opinions of financial incentives and other motivating mechanisms. DESIGN: A descriptive, crossover study. SETTING: Primary care in Mallorca (INSALUD of the Balearics). PARTICIPANTS: All the health professionals and ancillary workers (554) of Mallorca's 24 Health Centres. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A self-filled questionnaire was used as a measuring instrument. There was a 74% reply rate. Their assessment of the incentives system used was that the distribution of the incentives was unjust and a cause of tension. However, expectations as to the amount received had been met to a reasonable extent. Self-management was a stronger motivating force than incentives (48.4% vs 13.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The incentives system used displayed certain faults (in distribution and the work atmosphere generated). However, decentralization was shown to be a powerful motivating force. Monitoring professionals' expectations and the fulfillment of them should be integrated into management habits.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the assessment made by Mallorca's primary care professionals of the economic incentives system set up in 1994 and find their opinions of financial incentives and other motivating mechanisms. DESIGN: A descriptive, crossover study. SETTING: Primary care in Mallorca (INSALUD of the Balearics). PARTICIPANTS: All the health professionals and ancillary workers (554) of Mallorca's 24 Health Centres. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A self-filled questionnaire was used as a measuring instrument. There was a 74% reply rate. Their assessment of the incentives system used was that the distribution of the incentives was unjust and a cause of tension. However, expectations as to the amount received had been met to a reasonable extent. Self-management was a stronger motivating force than incentives (48.4% vs 13.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The incentives system used displayed certain faults (in distribution and the work atmosphere generated). However, decentralization was shown to be a powerful motivating force. Monitoring professionals' expectations and the fulfillment of them should be integrated into management habits.