Can we improve the health system with pay-for-performance?


  Pay-for-performance programs are meant to incentivise care that is safe, effective, patient-centred, timely, efficient and equitable. However, very little convincing evidence exists connecting pay-for-performance programs to these goals despite the fact that pay-for-performance, and other financial incentive mechanisms, have been widely applied for many years now. This leaves a question mark over the value of these mechanisms.