How is quality of care measured in value-based care models?
Given value-based healthcare’s emphasis on quality rather than quantity of care, the question of how to measure quality plays a critical role in value-based models. The National Academy of Medicine (then called the Institute of Medicine) created a list of six essential goals for healthcare systems in 2001, which have since become widely accepted as a basis for evaluating care. CMS relies on these six objectives in developing healthcare quality metrics.
This six-domain framework specifies that healthcare should be:
- Effective
- Safe
- Timely
- Patient-centered
- Equitable.
- Efficient
Importantly, all six of these domains align closely with the principles of value-based care. Effective, safe, and timely care helps achieve the positive health outcomes emphasized within a value-based model. A patient-centered approach is also a fundamental aspect of value-based care. And the value-based vision of healthcare is built largely to address the inequalities and inefficiencies that often result from a fee-for-service model.
By evaluating care on the basis of how well it achieves each of these six objectives and rewarding providers accordingly, healthcare organizations can incentivize providers to align with the principles of value-based care.
