Evaluating the Consequences of a Hypertension Management Incentive

The authors aimed to evaluate the impact of a physician-facing quality metric and financial incentive for hypertension control on clinical decisions and health outcomes. Their study found that while the incentive increased the likelihood of blood pressure remeasurement and documentation of hypertension control in patients with marginally high blood pressure, it did not significantly improve overall hypertension management or reduce cardiovascular hospitalizations, which actually increased among this subgroup. These findings suggest that financial incentives may lead to selective practices without enhancing patient health outcomes.