The Association Between Financial Incentives and Job Performance Among Primary Care Providers in Six Provinces of China.

Financial incentive was regarded as the most important motivating factor of PCPs in China, but existing financial incentives received by PCPs could not improve their job performance. The findings can be attributed to the unsatisfying total income level, "intrinsic motivation crowding out" effect, and the poorly designed performance-based salary system for PCPs. Policy attention is called for to continuing efforts and system reform to increase the total income level for PCPs in China, and improve the performance-based salary system to better motivate PCPs and improve their job performance.