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Impact of pay for performance on inequalities in health care

A recent systematic review by Riyadh Alshamsan and colleagues assessed the impact of pay for performance programmes, in particular the Quality & Outcomes Framework in the UK, on inequalities in the quality of health care. There was some evidence that the use of financial incentives reduced inequalities in chronic disease management between socio-economic groups. However, inequalities in chronic disease management between age, sex and ethnic groups persisted after the use of pay for performance incentives. They concluded that inequalities in chronic disease management have often persisted after the introduction of pay for performance programmes such as the Quality and Outcome Framework in the UK. The findings of the paper reinforce the need for pay for performance programmes to be designed to reduce inequalities as well as improve the overall quality of care.

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