From 2004 to 2006 a team of consultants funded through the National Partnership for Women and Families in Washington researched business models capable of supporting physician performance reporting systems.

The team identified eight existing models and used their strongest components to design two models aimed at accelerating the implementation of physician performance measurement and reporting in outpatient settings.

The work was managed by staff of the Consumer-Purchaser Disclosure Project, a coalition administered jointly by the National Partnership for Women and Families and the Pacific Business Group on Health.

Key Result

• The research team issued a 72-page report summarizing the research process and describing the two business models developed by the team. The report was made available online.

Key Findings

• The researchers proposed two alternative models to promote performance measurement and reporting:
  • Federal Action-State Implementation Model: The federal government would serve as the initial driver of change and create strong incentives for states to implement a measurement and reporting system.
  • Accreditation-Certification Model: Private and public purchasers would drive the measurement and reporting system. They would collaborate with health plan accreditors to require physician performance measurement and reporting as a condition of health plan accreditation.

Funding
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) supported this unsolicited project from October 2004 through July 2006 with a $279,690 grant to the National Partnership for Women and Families.