Case study:Improving pediatric asthma, P4P income

A new program which classified the severity of pediatric asthma, put a self-management plan into place and gave out appropriate medication that dramatically improved the number of pediatric asthma cases detected and percent of patients getting the influenza vaccine, according to an article published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Practices involved in the study all belong to the Ohio Valley Primary Care Associates, an IPA affiliated with physician-hospital organization at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, were paid by the PHO depending on how deeply they wanted to participate in the pediatric asthma program. Those who wanted to earn the maximum 7 percent fee schedule increase agreed to be rated on performance. The program was sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Ohio.

Since the pilot, Anthem added asthma measures to its community-wide pediatric P4P program, and by the end of 2006, 28 percent of its 3,000 physicians had come on board.

To learn more about the program:
- read this Healthcare IT News piece

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