When asked their preferences, 80 percent of American consumers would want their doctors to use established best practice guidelines for treatment and diagnosis, according to a study released by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
“There has been much debate in the health-care system over the need for, and effectiveness of, programs that encourage and reward doctors for following best practice guidelines,” said Allan Korn, the association's chief medical officer. “This study clearly demonstrates that consumers want programs that can help keep quality care affordable.”
Among those surveyed, 78 percent said that they would find it valuable to have information about how well doctors apply such guidelines. More than two-thirds (68 percent) would be likely to choose doctors who use guidelines and would favor health plans that reward doctors with strong records of adhering to guidelines.
Consumers' support for such programs is even greater in terms of hospitals, with 87 percent saying that it is important that hospitals apply best practice guidelines established by medical professionals. In addition, 82 percent think that information about how well local hospitals apply those guidelines would be valuable, while 74 percent would be likely to choose hospitals that employ guidelines.
“With the continued dramatic increases in medical costs, it is important that hospitals and physicians that meet broadly accepted quality standards be rewarded for their efforts as a way to encourage greater consistency of quality health care,” Korn said.
To encourage such practices, local Blue Cross and Blue Shield programs include a Quality Improvement Fund, which pays additional compensation to physician groups, with one component based upon the group's flu shot rate for high-risk members (i.e., asthmatics, diabetics, and members age 65 and older). A Primary Care Physician Reward Program provides annual reports to physicians on five different measures, a list of patients yet to receive preventive care for those measures, educational tools and materials, and payments based on performance. In addition, the company has joined forces with the Community Behavioral Health-care Network of Pennsylvania to form an innovative partnership that provides affordable and accessible care to patients with mental, alcohol, and substance abuse issues.
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