value-based care

Value-based care seeks to reduce both initial hospital admissions as well as hospital readmissions for chronic conditions, ultimately improving the overall health of patients and maintaining that improvement over time. Under value-based systems, patients may be advised about and periodically monitored concerning the lifestyle choices (smoking, diet, exercise, etc.) that are impacting their conditions, as opposed to just receiving a prescription, for example. In contrast, the current (and still predominant) delivery model for medical care in the United States is based on what is known as fee-for-service.