1. A mixed-method study on physicians' perceptions of pay for performance: impact on professionalism, morality and work-life balance.
- Author
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Kavas MV, Tut H, Senyurek G, and Elhan AH
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Female, Adult, Turkey, Surveys and Questionnaires, Morals, Middle Aged, Job Satisfaction, Qualitative Research, Focus Groups, Reimbursement, Incentive, Physicians psychology, Attitude of Health Personnel, Professionalism, Work-Life Balance
- Abstract
Background: Pay-for-performance system (P4P) has been in operation in the Turkish healthcare sector since 2004. While the government defended that it encouraged healthcare professionals' job motivation, and improved patient satisfaction by increasing efficiency and service quality, healthcare professionals have emphasized the system's negative effects on working conditions, physicians' trustworthiness, and cost-quality outcomes. In this study, we investigated physicians' accounts of current working conditions, their status as a moral agent, and their professional attitudes in the context of P4P's perceived effects on their professional, social, private, and future lives., Methods: First, we held 3 focus groups with 19 residents and 1 specialist regarding their lived experiences under P4P and thematically analyzed the transcripts. Second, we developed a questionnaire to assess how generalizable the qualitative findings are for a broader group of physicians. The tool has three parts questioning 1) demographic information, 2) working conditions, and 3) perceived consequences and effects of P4P. 2136 physicians responded to the survey. After refining the data, we conducted the statistical analysis over 1378 responses by using Spearman's correlation coefficient, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) for categorical data, and Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis., Results: Thematic analysis revealed two dimensions: 1) factors leading to estrangement, and 2) manifestations of estrangement. As for the initial, participants thought that P4P affected relationships at work; family and social relationships; working conditions; quality of the specialty training; quality of healthcare services; and it caused healthcare system-related consequences. Concerning the latter, the following themes emerged: Estrangement of the physician; damaging effects on physician's psychology; physician's perception of their future life; and physician as a moral agent. According to EFA, a 5-factor structure was appropriate: F1) Estrangement; F2) adverse effects on the physician's quality of life; F3) favorable consequences; F4) physicians becoming disreputable; F5) unfavorable consequences., Conclusions: The findings suggest that under P4P, physicians have become more estranged towards their profession, their patients, and themselves. They suffer from deteriorating working conditions, lack of motivation, lack of work-related satisfaction, and hopelessness regarding their future. Furthermore, P4P impairs their ability to realize themselves as moral subjects practicing in alignment with professional values and principles., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the Ankara University Ethics Committee on 02.03.2012 in accordance with the decision number 111/445. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations including the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent to participate in the study was obtained from all the FG participants. The questionnaire was delivered online. A detailed explanation of the aim of the study and the nature of the questionnaire was present at the beginning (in the first page) of the tool. Thus, those who agreed to participate in the questionnaire survey were considered that they had consented to submit their entries as they needed to click “forward” after reading the explanation. In that section, personal information was not required; the raw data were anonymized. Consent for publication: All subjects (both the FG participants and the questionnaire respondents) consented for publication of the findings based on the data they provided. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2025
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