Value-Based Healthcare: a health system based on value
14 February 2025 | Comment(s) |
Claire Galesne
Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) is a patient-centred approach to healthcare. It aims to improve beneficial health outcomes for patients throughout their care pathway, while optimising both resources and costs for society at large.
What is Value-Based Healthcare?
Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) aims to provide the best possible healthcare for each patient, based on the resources available. One of the key principles of VBHC is the involvement of patients in their care pathway, for example through the evaluation of medical services via PROMs (patient-reported outcome measures).
In order to determine whether a hip operation is truly beneficial, the focus is now not only on whether the patient has left hospital on time, but also on whether the jointly defined therapeutic objective has been achieved. This means, for example, whether the patient's pain has disappeared and whether the patient has regained greater mobility and will therefore not have to seek further treatment because of possible complications.
Why does Switzerland need VBHC?
The Swiss health system is renowned for its high quality, but it is also very expensive. These high costs are primarily due to the fact that remuneration is mainly based on the quantity of services provided, and that certain inappropriate incentives encourage an increase in the volume of services. Although quality is required, it is rarely measured or monitored, leading to unnecessary or inadequate care, which can be as much as 20% (according to the Swiss consumer pricing watchdog).
Against a backdrop of sharply rising health costs and concerns about the future of our health system, introducing Value-Base Healthcare may be an option for both containing rising costs and guaranteeing the highest possible quality for healthcare
How would VBHC benefit all players in the health system?
Value Based Healthcare is an approach that brings significant benefits to all players in the health system.
For healthcare providers:
- The systematic use of PROMs reinforces their image as a hospital committed to quality care, both for patients and for doctors and carers.
- Innovative remuneration models contribute to stability and financial viability, making it possible to better fund the quality and coordination of care.
For health insurers:
- Costs are kept under control by promoting coordinated care and improving the quality of care, for example by reducing the rate of complications.
- Health insurers are becoming key players in the design and introduction of remuneration models that provide incentives to improve the quality and coordination of care.
For patients and insured persons:
- The results that matter to them in terms of care become the primary focus.
- VBHC helps to contain rising costs and thus insurance premiums.
If this list has convinced you of the added value of VBHC for our health system, don't wait any longer to learn more about the subject. Discover the experiences made abroad in terms of VBHC in our next blog.
