Value-Based Care: Prioritize Prevention Over Profit

Value-based care is often interpreted in varied ways across the healthcare sector, primarily influenced by financial incentives. Hospitals may leverage Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to enhance market share, while others see them as a way to capitalize on top-performing physicians. This transactional view can lead to a focus on coding practices over patient care, resulting in a mere 10% alignment between the care delivered and corresponding codes. Consequently, such an approach risks failing to meet the true needs of patients. A pragmatic definition of value-based care should focus on minimizing unnecessary and costly procedures, emphasizing prevention and management of health conditions in cost-effective environments, thereby ensuring better outcomes for patients.