| Lose-Lose: Radiologist P4P Programs Generate Small Bonuses, Less Quality Care
Even when aggressively pursued, Medicare’s P4P
program, Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) for
radiologists, yields disappointing physician bonuses.
Those were the findings of Dr. Richard Duszak, Jr., and
Worth M. Saunders of MHA Mid-South Imaging and Therapeutics in Memphis,
Tenn.
Despite ongoing educational and operational initiatives,
mean physician Medicare PQRI incentives amounted to only 0.36 percent
of total practice Medicare payment, well under Medicare’s
expected bonus of 1.5 percent.
The pair acquired Medicare PQRI bonus information from
29 radiologists, working in a single practice over the PQRI
program’s first two cycles.
Incremental bonus incentive percentages were calculated
using total payments from Medicare and from all payers. Physicians were
surveyed regarding incremental time required to participate and their
perceptions of the program’s impact on the quality of delivered
care.
Duszak and Saunders then analyzed and compared the incentive data and survey results to draw their conclusions.
Address: MHA Mid-South Imaging and Therapeutics, 6305 Humphreys Blvd., Suite 205, Memphis, TN 38120; (901) 747-1000, www.msit.com.
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