Analysis & commentary. Physician payment reform: principles that should shape it

Abstract

Policy makers and payers understand that physician payment reform will be central to driving improvements in the efficiency and quality of health care. We describe principles to inform physician payment reform developed by a multistakeholder group under the auspices of the ABIM Foundation. Among other ideas, the principles emphasize team-oriented practice, evidence-based care, continuous quality improvement, and a focus on total costs and outcomes to achieve greater value in our health care system. The goal is to inform physician payment redesign to produce a health care system that reflects contemporary societal values more accurately than do those inherent in existing payment methodologies, such as fee-for-service.