title: Pay for performance of Estonian family doctors and impact of different practice- and patient-related characteristics on a good outcome: A quantitative assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several practice- and patient-related characteristics are reported to have an influence on a good quality outcome. Estonia started the pay-for-performance (P4P) system for family doctors (FDs) in 2006. Every year the number of FDs participating in P4P has increased, but only half of the FDs achieved good outcome. The aim of this study was to find out which practice- and patient-related characteristics could have an impact on a good outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted using the database from the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. All working FDs were divided into two groups (with "good" and "poor" outcomes) according their achievements in P4P. We chose characteristics which described structure (practice list size, number of doctors, composition of FDs list: age, number of chronically ill patients) during the observation period 2006-2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the observation period 2006-2012, the number of FDs with a good outcome in P4P increased from 6% (2006) to 53% (2012). The high number of FDs in primary care teams, longer experience of participation in P4P and the smaller number of patients on FDs' lists all have an impact on a good outcome. The number of chronically ill patients in FDs lists has no significant effect on an outcome, but P4P increases the number of disease-diagnosed patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different practice and patient-related characteristics have an impact on a good outcome. As workload increases, smaller lists of FDs patients or increased staff levels are needed in order to maintain a good outcome.
authors: Department of Family Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. Electronic address: eero.merilind@arst.ee.
authors: Eero
authors: E
authors: Merilind
authors: Klaster Baltic, Tartu, Estonia.
authors: Rauno
authors: R
authors: Salupere
authors: Estonian Health Insurance Fund, Tallinn, Estonia.
authors: Katrin
authors: K
authors: Västra
authors: Department of Family Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Kalda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004957:Estonia; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000191:economics*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012052:Reimbursement, Incentive; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload
keywords: Family practice; Health care quality; Outcome; Pay-for-performance