Table 3 Collapsed variables to form a conceptual variable ‘Risk’
(Risk) Collapsed variables | Categories of new variable | |
|---|---|---|
Low risk | High risk | |
Performance measure | Absolute: incentive is paid for quality improvement not dependent on other providers e.g. incentive paid per patient immunized | Relative: incentive is paid for attaining a specific rank relative to other providers e.g. incentives paid to clinicians or hospitals in top 2 performing quartiles |
Domain of performance measured | Within clinicians control: incentive payments are based on process and structural outcomes e.g. number of children immunized, routine measurement of blood pressure of patients every month | Not within clinicians control: payment of incentives to health providers for health outcomes e.g. reduction in blood pressure of patients or reduction in mortality rates from a specific disease |
Time lag | Short time lag: Payment of incentives immediately after measurement of performance) or four months or less. | Long time lag: Payment of incentives more than 4Â months after measurement of performance |