Chien, Alyna

Institution: University of Chicago
Grant Title: Do Performance Incentives Improve Healthcare Quality for Vulnerable Populations?
Grant Number: K08 HS17146
Duration: 5 years (2007-2012)
Total Award: $623,800

Project Description: This research hypothesizes that performance incentives can significantly improve incentivized components of care and have a null or negative effect on unincentivized components of care. There are two aims:

1. Determine whether incentivized components of care for chronic conditions improve after the introduction of bonus and penalty performance incentives at Access Community Health Network (ACCESS).
2. Determine whether unincentivized components of care for related and unrelated conditions improve after the introduction of bonus and penalty performance incentives at ACCESS.

Career Goals: Dr. Chien is a Lecturer in Pediatrics at the Children's Hospital in Boston. She received her MD from the University of Chicago and also served her Pediatric Residency there. Her career goal is to become a nationally respected health services researcher who examines policy-relevant issues related to the use of incentives in healthcare, particularly as it pertains to the care of vulnerable populations—the medically complex, minorities, and the socially disadvantaged.

Progress to Date: Quantitative findings for then pediatric arm of Aim #1 were submitted and revised to Health Services Research. For the adult arm, the chart abstraction/data collection tool was refined and a full time chart abstractor/project manager was hired. Data from the patient registry were obtained to use for the comparison group and is being cleaned and analyzed.

Future Plans: Data collection efforts will continue and Dr. Chien will submit a R18. She has four manuscripts under review and four additional ones in progress.

Highlights and Specific Accomplishments:

• National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities Scholar, National Institutes of Health (NIH), 2005-2007.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJ) Clinical Scholars program, 2004-2006.
• Founder, Clinic Volunteer, Steering Committee Member; University of Chicago-Pritzker School of Medicine Washington Park Free Pediatric Clinic.

K-Generated Publications:

Bauer SC, Smith PJ, Chien AT, et al. Educating pediatric residents about developmental and social-emotional health. Infants and Young Children. 2010. 22(4):309-20.

Perry R, Chien AT, Fisher T, et al. African American adolescent male views on health and healthcare. Journal of the National Medical Association. 2010. 203:312-20.

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