The American Medical Association voted Wednesday at its annual meeting to adopt several new policies updating its guidelines on pay-for-performance programs including the need for pilot testing prior to implementation and a call for programs not to penalize physicians based on factors outside their control.
"Fair and ethical pay-for performance programs are patient-centered and assess physician performance with evidence-based measures," said AMA Secretary John Armstrong, M.D. A complete set of the AMA's principles on the subject may be obtained at www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/15254.html.
The AMA also passed new policy urging the Department of Justice to seek other remedies in its lawsuit against the tobacco industry, including full disclosure of all ingredients and additives in cigarettes and other tobacco products and the imposition of severe restrictions on the tobacco industrys' marketing practices. The AMA, as stated, is "disappointed in the level of funding being sought as damages to pay for smoking cessation programs."