Building on value-based health care: towards a health system perspective

14 Oct 2020

A policy brief from the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.

Focus on the value created by health systems is important, and will likely intensify with on-going shocks and strains on health systems, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, value is not always described from multiple perspectives, or in all of its dimensions.

This policy brief calls for a shared understanding of value that embraces the health system in its entirety, including preventive services and other public health functions. The report defined value to be the contribution of the health system to societal wellbeing. Health improvement, responsiveness, financial protection, efficiency, and equity are widely accepted as health systems’ core contributions to wellbeing. However, health systems can also contribute to wellbeing indirectly through the spill over effects that its actions have on other sectors.

Multiple stakeholders are involved in shaping health systems, from policy makers, healthcare providers and practitioners to patients and citizens. As they may provide different contributions towards value in health, their actions should be aligned to maximise impact. Effective governance of the whole health system is needed to ensure that stakeholder perspectives and policy levers are aligned to promote a common concept of health system value and, ultimately, of societal wellbeing.

Author:

European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies