Qualitätsbezogene vergütung für krankenhäuser: erste erfahrungen aus den USA

In the United States pay for reporting for hospitals has been well established since 2004 and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has committed to Pay for Performance by the fiscal year of 2009. The article outlines the regulatory environment including legislation passed by the US congress and explains the methodology and provides a critical discussion of the first major pay for performance pilot project for hospitals in the United States, the CMS Premier Hospital Quality Incentive (HQI) Demonstration. The article then focuses on CMS' proposed methodology for the implementation of pay for performance for hospitals by 2009 and critically assesses challenges and opportunities.