As a practicing physician for more than 30 years, I have seen a number of changes occur in the healthcare industry. None of these changes have been as significant as the current transition from fee-for-service to value-based care.
It is no secret that with the price tag and inefficiencies, the current U.S. healthcare system is unsustainable. The traditional fee-for-service model, which focuses on treating acute conditions and rewards providers based on the number of services they provide, no longer works. Fortunately, the industry is shifting toward value-based care, which focuses on prevention and wellness and rewards providers for keeping people well and out of the hospital.
Major health systems like Greenville Health System (GHS), of which I am a part, are slowly but surely making the transition from volume- to value-based care. This type of transition is a huge undertaking and further complicated by the fact that the industry as a whole has not made the transition yet.
It’s as if we have one foot in the canoe and the other on shore. We are preparing for a future that has not fully arrived, but it is one that we are betting on because we believe it will have a tremendous impact on the health of our nation.
HENRY KOTULA 