Will hypertension performance measures used for pay-for-performance programs penalize those who care for medically complex patients?

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is concern that performance measures, patient ratings of their care, and pay-for-performance programs may penalize healthcare providers of patients with multiple chronic coexisting conditions. We examined the impact of coexisting conditions on the quality of care for hypertension and patient perception of overall quality of their health care.

Methods and results

We classified 141 609 veterans with hypertension into 4 condition groups: those with hypertension-concordant (diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, dyslipidemia) and/or -discordant (arthritis, depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) conditions or neither. We measured blood pressure control at the index visit, overall good quality of care for hypertension, including a follow-up interva

SUBMITTER: Petersen LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2743388 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature