How a financial incentive to take on new patients is backfiring in New Brunswick. A common misperception is that the government doesn’t think that money motivates doctors. Think again:
But Ms Lingley’s laissez-faire approach to managing the impact of the $150 incentive points to a common misunderstanding of medical economics, says Atlantic Institute for Market Studies analyst Brian S Ferguson, PhD. Doctors’ decision-making is affected by financial incentives to a greater extent than many think, according to a 2002 AIMS report. Dr Ferguson looked at a number of Canadian and international examples and concluded that physicians respond to market forces, including cash bonuses, the same as any other professionals.But that’s a view not universally shared in government circles. “Much confusion and bad policy follows from the inability of many policy analysts to handle the techniques of an elementary economics course,” wrote Dr Ferguson in a scathing commentary that now appears prescient.
Related posts:
- Carrot or the stick?
- My take: Carrot > stick, the pandering NEJM, retail clinics
- Primary care, supply and demand
- Will Google Health stick?
- When was the last time you actually saw a doctor?
- More on bad doctor handwriting
- Pay for performance follies
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{ 6 comments }
Start a new practice and collect 450,000 in extra payments when I have built up to 3000 patients, or forgo the 450,000 and buy somebody elses practice. Huummh. Let me think about this. . . .
Stupid socialists.
Doctors need to get a consistent theme. Kevin’s had posts extolling how selfless docs are and how the money isn’t what motivates them, and even criticizing others who Kevin deems are motivated by money.
Yet every political issue involving physicians comes down to one thing: Getting them more money.
Can’t have it both ways.
Your right that you can’t have it both ways. But keep in mind that Kevin gathers these posts from all over without comprehensive editorial comment by him–so consistency is not to be expected. And he isn’t the one posting the comments either.
Doctors are not ants bound by some metamind that is seeking collective consistency. They are a diverse group of people that includes more than a representative sampling of individualists who think for themselves. If doctors were even seeking a consistent theme, the membership of the AMA would be much stronger.
Why doesn’t this new doc simply open a new practice down the road from the retiring doc?
That way, the old doc can retire, create 3000 “orphans” and most of the patients will naturally find their way to the new practice. The new doc will get his bonuses and the patients will be served.
Am I the only one who has thought of this?
“But keep in mind that Kevin gathers these posts from all over without comprehensive editorial comment by him–so consistency is not to be expected.”
I’m referring to his commentary with respect to the posts.
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