This report from the American Hospital Association’s Health Research and Education Trust describes how hospitals and health systems will need to shift from a “first curve” of primarily fee-for-service, volume-based payments to a “second curve” of value-based payments based on quality outcomes and reduction of total health care costs. This trend was identified the the 2011 AHA report, Hospitals and Care Systems of the Future. This report focuses on four priority “second curve” strategies and defines metrics to measure progress in shifting to the second curve. The four priority strategies are:
+ Aligning hospitals, physicians, and other providers across the continuum of care
+ Utilizing evidence-based practices to improve quality and patient safety
+ Improving efficiency through productivity and fiscal management
+ Developing integrated information systems
Ignatius Bau 