title: Can We Pay for Performance in Behavioral Health Care?
abstract: Pay for performance (P4P) has become a popular strategy to reward quality and cost-efficiency in behavioral health care and other health care disciplines. This column presents the results of a literature review of P4P in behavioral health care. Fifteen empirical studies evaluating the outcomes of behavioral health services provided in a P4P system were identified. The limited data suggest that P4P can achieve its desired effect. More research is needed on outcomes, performance, and unintended consequences.
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (e-mail: restewar@upenn.edu ). Steven S. Sharfstein, M.D., Haiden A. Huskamp, Ph.D., and Alison Evans Cuellar, Ph.D., are editors of this column.
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (e-mail: restewar@upenn.edu ). Steven S. Sharfstein, M.D., Haiden A. Huskamp, Ph.D., and Alison Evans Cuellar, Ph.D., are editors of this column.
authors.forename: Ishara
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lareef
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (e-mail: restewar@upenn.edu ). Steven S. Sharfstein, M.D., Haiden A. Huskamp, Ph.D., and Alison Evans Cuellar, Ph.D., are editors of this column.
authors.forename: Trevor R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (e-mail: restewar@upenn.edu ). Steven S. Sharfstein, M.D., Haiden A. Huskamp, Ph.D., and Alison Evans Cuellar, Ph.D., are editors of this column.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Mandell
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D012052:Reimbursement, Incentive / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards
keywords: Behavioral health incentives; Financing/funding/reimbursement; Pay for performance; Performance-based contracting; Value-based purchasing