Value-Based Care: Introduction to Value-Based Care and the U.S. Healthcare System

About this course

COURSE 1 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to the concept of value-based care (VBC). While the information you will explore is general, it will help you establish a solid foundation for continued learning and future thinking about the concept of VBC. Through a historical lens, you will explore the creation of Medicare and Medicaid and the evolution of commercial insurance, TRICARE, and the Veterans Health Administration. While history is an important filter for understanding healthcare in this country, you will learn how each of these mechanisms emerged, the populations served, and what changes occurred over time, with a focus on funding and expenditures. In addition, this course will help you establish a firm foundation for understanding the development and evolution of quality measures and outcomes in healthcare. By developing an understanding of what quality is and how it is measured, you can begin a knowledge-building exploration of the components of quality in healthcare. Why is this important? In value-based care models, providers must meet quality measures and improve the health outcomes of their patients. In the summative assignment, you will use a national system of quality measures to develop a plan that would positively impact value within your healthcare organization.

Course objectives

• to establish a foundational understanding of value-based care
• to explore the historical context of the U.S. healthcare system
• to develop a plan for improving value in healthcare organizations