Blue Cross finds savings from incentives - Washington Business Journal:

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Patients of doctors who meet standards for efficiencieas in practice management received 12 percentfewer high-costg imaging tests, a BCBSNC analysizs found. Those patients also visited the emergency room 34 percenr less often and were 24 percent less likely to see a As a result annual health care spendinhg is less per patient than forthe insurer’es customer population as a whole. The study was completerd at the conclusion ofthe company’s three-year piloty for health care quality under the nationalp Bridges to Excellence program. BCBSNC is looking for ways to expandd the concept of providing rewards and recognition to doctora who meetquality standards.
Since launching the pilot in the insurer andits partner, the State Health Plan for Teacher s and State Employees, has paid $4.2 millioh to participating physicians. The pilot includeed 194 physicians representing 41 practices who earnec rewards for meeting at least onequalitu standards. Counting all of the insurer’s networ k of doctors, regardless of whether they participated in thepiloyt program, more than 970 had achieved at leasr one quality standard as of When BCBSNC began the pilot, fewer than 100 physicians in the state were recognized as having met a standard.