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What is value-based care?

Published Date
Author Leona Rajaee

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What is value-based care?

What is value-based care? August 15, 2017

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is transitioning from fee-for-service reimbursement to value-based care. What does that mean and why are they making the move? CMS says it is part of a larger strategy to “reform how health care is delivered and paid for.” They have tied incentive payments to the quality of care physicians provide their patients.

According to CMS, value-based care supports their three-part aim of:

  • Better care for individuals
  • Better health for populations
  • Lower cost

Value-based care focuses on the quality, rather than the quantity, of a physician’s patient-related activity. While measuring value-based care can be challenging, patient outcomes are the true gauge of success for both the provider and the patients. Rather than relying on the number of patient visits per day as a measure, the provider can look to the value of the care provided and the resulting patient health status as a determinant of value-based care.

CMS states that value-based programs are part of its Quality Strategy, which is focused on:

  • Using incentives to improve care.
  • Tying payment to value through new payment models.
  • Changing how care is given through:
  • Better teamwork.
  • Better coordination across healthcare settings.
  • More attention to population health.
  • Putting the power of healthcare information to work.

Quality measures are put into place to help measure processes, outcomes, patient perceptions, and other elements associated with the physician’s ability to provide high-quality health care. The goals of quality measures, as outlined by CMS, include effective, safe, efficient, patient-centered, equitable, and timely care.

Elation Health is dedicated to helping independent physicians provide value-based care to their patients. Our electronic health record (EHR) solution enables the physician to focus on patients rather than on paperwork during a visit. Physicians can access patient records, including visit notes from other providers, lab results, and medication orders, with just one click.