Implementing P4P in a Family Medicine Residency Program: From the Residents’ Point of View Laura Pattison MD Outgoing Chief and P4P Advocate Maya Miley MD Incoming Chief and P4P Skeptic
The Survey 1 strongly disagree 2 disagree3 neutral 4 agree 5 strongly agree 1. I feel I have a very good understanding of what “pay-for-performance” means. 2. I feel I have a very good understanding of P4P practice guidelines that our clinic is following at this time. 3. I believe P4P practice guidelines have improved my medical knowledge. 4. I believe P4P practice guidelines improve my efficiency in clinic. 5. In particular cases I have a conflict between doing the right thing clinically and following P4P guidelines. 6. I am insulted by the idea that I should follow practice guidelines for financial incentives. 7. I believe P4P will result in better patient outcomes. 8. I like the idea that physicians should be paid for quality of care as well as quantity of patients seen. 9. I like having clear goals and expectations for diabetes care (e.g. “grand slam”) 10. I believe P4P implementation at my clinic has improved my understanding of clinic operations/ finances. 11. I believe P4P practice guidelines are being smoothly integrated into practice at my residency program. 12. I find P4P practice guidelines to be distracting. 13. My overall impression of P4P is negative. 14. I believe I can fly. 15. I believe I can touch the sky. Comments:
I feel I have a very good understanding of what “pay for performance” means
I believe P4P practice guidelines have improved my medical knowledge
I believe that P4P practice guidelines improve my efficiency in clinic
In particular cases I have conflict between doing the right thing clinically and following P4P guidelines
I believe P4P will result in better patient outcomes
I like having clear goals and expectations for diabetes care
My overall impression of P4P is negative
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
P4P and Medical Knowledge
Cons Less critical thinking “tunnel vision” inability to see or manage well exceptions to the rules Pros: Clear goals early on Faster learning Easy data collection for objective feed back
Physician-Patient relationship
P4P and Physician-Patient relationship Pros: Patient more engaged knowing the goals of their care Enhances relationship appreciates aggressive and equal management Cons Patient becoming a set of numbers v.s. humanistic vision Resentment towards patients not following our advice? Competing agendas
P4P and Patient Care
Pros: More aggressive management to obtain excellent results Improves consistency Less errors or incomplete care? “Equality of care” Cons: Guidelines not patient-population specific: medically complex, socially disadvantaged, elderly… Clinics serving these pts may be financially disadvantaged
P4P and Clinic Efficiency
Pros: Clarity of guidelines allows consistent systematic approach to complicated diseases EMR templates can simplify a visit Con: Increased documentation and bureaucracy
Conclusions Overall response to P4P positive Residents need more repeated exposure to general principals and specific guidelines of P4P We need greater understanding of how this might impact medically and psychosocially complex patients