Implementing incentivized practice to improve patient care in developing countries

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Faculty awards can incentivize higher personal performance standards, directly impacting healthcare quality.
• This study details the creation and implementation of a novel medical faculty award program within a regional institution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement the region's first medical faculty award program.
• To assess the program's effectiveness in incentivizing improved performance and healthcare quality.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous pre-award survey gauged institutional sentiment regarding recognition and performance criteria.
• Five distinct awards were established and celebrated.
• An anonymous post-award survey evaluated the program's impact on faculty motivation and performance.

Main Results:

• 60% of faculty responded to the pre-award survey; 92% deemed recognition important, 78% prioritized performance-based criteria.
• Awards included 'Decade of Excellence' (24%), 'Compassionate Physician' (13%), and 'Best Service' (7%).
• Post-award, 68% of respondents felt the ceremony motivated them to enhance personal performance quality.

Conclusions:

• A transparent, objective, peer-nominated awards program can effectively incentivize healthcare providers.
• Such programs have the potential to elevate personal performance standards.
• Improvements in provider performance ultimately benefit patient care advancement.