Health is an ongoing crisis throughout the world. Cost is high and growing. Access is limited for those separated by distance or insufficient finances. And, quality care is difficult to assure. At my presentation today at Truman State University, I stressed to the premed student organization that this is an age for heroes in healthcare; people who realize that the outcome aim is not simply more healthcare services. Rather, it is a system of care that results in healthier lives.
A useful strategy is to revisit how care in incentivized: to pay for healthcare based on value of care, rather than on volume of care alone – so called Value Based Reimbursement. Practically speaking, how can we measure quality? By compliance with practice guidelines: evidence-based best practices, clinical markers (Hgb A1c), patient case management, preventive care, and use of health information systems. The latter make possible the tracking of compliance.
Professionals providing primary care are well suited for quality-based care because their patients already receive continuous and comprehensive care. Primary care is research-proven to improve quality and length of life, and to reduce overall costs. From multiple perspectives, indeed, health is wealth, and we do well to incentivize this fact.