VALUE-BASED CARE SAVES LIVES BY FOCUSING ON PREVENTION
Alternative Payment Models Help Clinicians Catch Potentially Life-Threatening Issues Early
Value-based care models reimburse hospitals, health systems, and other healthcare providers based, in part, on care quality and outcomes. These models allow health systems like Bayhealth in Delaware to invest in preventive care and building patient relationships. This approach has helped Bayhealth’s clinicians identify and treat potentially life-threatening health problems before they progress.
James's story:
James didn’t know he had a life-threatening brain bleed when he went in for his annual wellness visit. He fell and hit his head the night before. He didn’t think too much of it and was a little embarrassed, so he didn’t mention the fall to his nurse at first.
However, James’s nurse could tell something was off. She took her time with the visit, asking questions beyond the “standard script” and making conversation to help him feel more comfortable. Eventually, James told her about the fall.
The nurse rushed James to the emergency room, where they discovered and treated the brain bleed. If it had not been caught swiftly, James might not be alive today. This life-saving care was made possible by Medicare’s incentive for value-based care.
By focusing on patient outcomes and quality of care, value-based care models allow health systems such as Bayhealth to focus on preventive care and spend more time with patients. Without continued support for value-based models, patients like James might not get the support they need.
This patient story has been de-identified to protect patient privacy consistent with HIPAA – no real patient names are referenced, while the experience described reflects actual events.