Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
Published on: March 2, 2011
Does the frequency of pay-for-performance payment matter?--Experience from a randomized trial
Sukyung Chung1, Latha Palaniappan, Eric Wong
1Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA. chungs@pamfri.org
Objective:
To examine the effects of incentive payment frequency on quality measures in a physician-specific pay-for-performance (P4P) experiment.
Study Setting:
A multispecialty physician group practice.
Study Design:
In 2007, all primary care physicians (n=179) were randomized into two study arms differing by the frequency of incentive payment, either four quarterly bonus checks or a single year-end bonus (maximum of U.S.$5,000/year for both arms).
Data Collection/Extraction Methods:
Data were extracted from electronic health records. Quality measure scores between the two arms over four quarters were compared.
Principal Findings:
There was no difference between the two arms in average quality measure score or in total bonus amount earned.
Conclusions:
Physicians' responses to a P4P program with a small maximum bonus do not differ by frequency of bonus payment.
More Related Videos
13:20Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance
Published on: December 5, 2025
08:24The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Randomized Experiments
Simple randomization
Simple...
Regression Toward the Mean
Blinding
Expected Frequencies in Goodness-of-Fit Tests
What is an Experiment?
Factorial Design