The Leapfrog Group has unveiled two new provider tools, both of which are geared toward a value-driven healthcare system.
Under the U.S. healthcare system, patients most often pay their medical bills without any regard to the quality or affordability of care they have received - a process that inhibits more efficient and higher quality care.
An upgraded version of the Leapfrog Incentive and Reward Compendium and the new pay-for-performance Decision Tool aim to address this problem.
The Leapfrog Incentive and Reward Compendium is a free, searchable, sortable database that categorizes and describes financial programs - such as those that reward providers with quality bonuses, and non-financial programs. These programs aim to impact hospitals, physicians, health plans and consumers.
The P4P Decision Tool is an online, interactive guide designed to help users understand the range of options available in designing and implementing an incentive and reward program. After inputting the requested information, the tool generates a list of programs -drawn from the Leapfrog Compendium - that best meet their needs. The list is supplemented with detailed descriptions as well as contact information.
"The P4P Decision Tool supplies practical and actionable information for organizations seeking to implement an incentive and reward program," said Jill Berger, chair of The Leapfrog Group.
The revisions to the Compendium, which has been on the Leapfrog web site since 2004, allow users to directly compare programs.
"The Leapfrog Group and its members work to create incentives to improve care through new payment practices," said Karen Linscott, acting CEO of Leapfrog. "We hope these new tools will aid in that process."