A recent article in the Harvard Business Review (HBR), “Better Value in Health Care Requires Focusing on Outcomes” by Caleb Stowell, MD and Christina Ackerman, MD, discusses the need for providers to shift from a volume-based model of care to a value-based model in lower costs or better outcomes. While a challenge to accomplish, Stowell and Ackerman find that successful value strategies in health care focus on producing measurable outcomes to create real transformation. They point to factors such as meeting mission and differentiation, integrating around the patient and greater collaboration among physicians, comparison of practices, controlling cost through knowledge sharing and shifting payment from volume to results.
To achieve better performance and noted cost-reduction for providers and patients, putting systems in place that track performance behavior and outcomes is imperative to effective health transformation. I find this particularly true when factoring in the role of population health and tracking outcomes that reflect the specific characteristics and needs of populations that require greater coordination and integration. At-risk and vulnerable populations can have the greatest impact from valued-based care models. clearly many successful hospitals and health systems that provide models to replicate. The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) model cited is an excellent example of reducing cost, increasing value and enhancing the patient experience by decision-support tools that are relatively easy to use and can track outcomes for patients and providers. Just like an Olympic champion obtains “value” with optimal performance and “tracking” outcomes (i.e. performance and process goals), a healthcare value shift will happen when tracking outcomes is fully embraced and integrated industry-wide. If you are a leading a health care provider organization and are uncertain how to navigate the shift, you might start by measuring your outcomes.
