AHHA calls for value-based healthcare reform in Australia

The Australian Healthcare and Hospital Association’s (AHHA) research arm, the Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research, has released a Perspectives Brief that explores the evolution of value-based health care (VBHC) and the lessons to be learned from international leaders to support VBHC operationalisation in Australia. The international movement of VBHC presents a structured, whole-of-system approach to bring all parts of the healthcare system together to drive transformational reform that addresses the interplay of the issues undermining sustainability.

The Brief, ‘Transforming for Value-Based Health Care: Lessons from NHS Wales’, reflects on the growth of the grassroots VBHC movement and its evolution to encapsulate ideas of equity, public value, context and social, environmental and cultural outcomes. AHHA Chief Executive Kylie Woolcock said the pressures of the health system are being experienced through long waiting lists, ambulance ramping and unaffordable care.

“Often the solutions do not lie where the pressure is felt, and we need to look to other areas of the health system. VBHC provides a framework to support all parts of the health system to come together with the people and communities they serve. It fosters transparent decisions about where and how resources should be deployed in order to drive the greatest improvements in health outcomes,” Woolcock said.

The Brief also explores what is needed to support the operationalisation of VBHC across Australia, as a mix of top-down, bottom-up, centralised and decentralised approaches will be needed. Woolcock acknowledged that while there is significant expertise and experience in VBHC within the Australian health system — with many services, stewards and institutions contributing to the pursuit of value and outcomes within their own spheres of influence — the coordinating mechanism that brings together the various expertise is missing.

“We have an opportunity to capitalise on the growing momentum within Australia towards VBHC and resource a nimble and flexible networked model of VBHC implementation. AHHA’s Australian Centre for Value-Based Health Care can provide this opportunity,” Woolcock said.

The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) is an independent peak membership body and advocate for the Australian healthcare system and a voice for universally accessible, high-quality health care in Australia.

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