New USAID Publication on Using Performance-based Incentives to Improve Health Service Delivery and Health Outcomes
Aug 13 2010
Performance-Based Incentives Primer for USAID Missions
Performance-based incentives (PBI), a strategy that links payment to results achieved, is a potentially powerful catalyst to strengthen health systems and achieve health targets. Numerous developing countries, many with USAID support, are piloting and scaling-up PBI programs to improve health outcomes and make progress towards achieving the health Millennium Development Goals. However, PBI is not a solution for all problems in the health system and is not a substitute for investments in training, health facilities, and infrastructure. Each country context has to be assessed to understand the potential contribution of performance-based incentives to improving health outcomes.
This recently released Primer provides USAID Missions with guidance on how to support developing country PBI programs, be it through technical assistance to an existing program or through direct funding of a pilot or of national program scale-up. The primer provides a quick overview of PBI as one solution to strengthening health systems and improving health service delivery and health outcomes. It also includes summaries of country experiences with PBI as well as sources for further information.
