Value-Based Healthcare and the Role of Technology in the Medical Industry

The cost of healthcare is notoriously high and finding an open appointment time can be nearly impossible unless you plan well in advance. Ask anyone who has had a recent trip to the doctor’s office. The price of hospital visits and medicine have been skyrocketing year after year with little sign of slowing down. For many people, accessible and affordable healthcare has become a luxury instead of a regular part of life. Whether or not you work in the medical industry, value-based healthcare has become an important trend to familiarize yourself with. With benefits for both doctors and patients, value-based healthcare has been adopted by many practices and is sure to become increasingly prominent in the US going forward.

What is value-based healthcare?

So, what exactly is value-based healthcare? Value-based healthcare was designed to guarantee better patient care by eliminating unnecessary appointments. Instead of being paid per visit, insurance companies will pay doctors for the quality of care their patients are receiving over time. This means that patients will be seeing doctors when it is needed, not just to fill a yearly quota of check-up visits to the office. Value-based healthcare will factor in whether patients are getting better, the time it takes to get better depending on condition and how well they are managing existing chronic conditions. This takes into account improvements to a patient’s blood pressure readings, steps taken towards quitting smoking, improved mental health and other measurable factors.

Simply put, value-based healthcare is about quality over quantity. It is outcome focused so healthcare providers are rewarded for reducing chronic illnesses, instead of just being paid for seeing patients, regardless of the outcome. Doctors will be recognized and compensated for their excellent care and patients will save money by only seeing a doctor when it is necessary. This is convenient for both groups because patients are getting the care they need without unnecessary check-ins and visits, and doctors will have more time to see new patients and help heal more people.

The role of technology

Technology is ever-present in our daily lives, and the same is true in the healthcare industry. By keeping up with the latest in technology, digital advances in society are saving lives every day. In addition to the development of life-saving equipment and procedures, technology created to aid in productivity has been making lasting impressions in medical practices big and small. Hospitals and general healthcare practices are leaning towards funding more technological advances like electronic health records and IT security. In addition, something as simple as a document or card scanner can save precious time in an industry where every second counts. Much like scanners, patient needs vary, and one size does not fit all. Whether you have a heavy load of document paperwork each day and need to quickly capture insurance information at the front desk, or you need a compact but durable solution for scanning on your mobile cart, an Ambir scanner can help you better implement value-based care for your patients.

Learn more about value-based health care and Ambir products.