Putting people at the heart of healthcare: how value-based health and care is driving quality improvement

Putting people at the heart of healthcare: how value-based health and care is driving quality improvement

As healthcare systems continue to evolve, Value Based Health and Care (VBH&C) is changing how we define and deliver care. Rather than measuring success by the volume of services provided, VBH&C prioritises outcomes that matter to people, achieved efficiently and equitably.

In Scotland, VBH&C is founded/grounded in the dimensions of quality. It brings these principles to life by encouraging a focus on what matters most to individuals, reduce harm and waste, and personalise care. For example:

• shared decision making enhances person centeredness and safety
• reducing unwarranted variation supports equity and effectiveness.
• delivering timely outcomes supports efficiency efficient

Together, these approaches offer a practical framework for improving quality across the system, ensuring that every decision adds value for people and populations.

Quality improvement: turning vision into action

Quality Improvement (QI) projects drive VBH&C forward. By translating strategic goals into measurable change, QI helps teams deliver better outcomes and experiences.

Effective QI statements should be outcome-focused, clearly articulating the intended impact on health, experience, or equity. Supporting measures, whether process or balancing, can contribute to one or more of the four pillars of value:

• personal value - what matters to the individual
• technical value - clinical effectiveness
• allocative value - fair distribution of resources
• societal value benefit to the wider community

Each QI initiative that improves a quality dimension can contribute directly to the VBH&C value equation:

Value = Health Outcomes / Cost of Delivering Those Outcomes

In simple terms, VBH&C sets the vision, and QI provides the tools to get there. By aligning QI projects with quality dimensions and the four pillars of value, healthcare teams can ensure that every improvement effort contributes meaningfully to better outcomes, greater efficiency, and a more equitable system.

Explore more resources on Realistic Medicine and VBH&C on Turas Learn.

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