A Pediatrician's Perspective: Value-Based Care, Consumerism, and the Practice of Pediatrics: A Glimpse of the Future

For patients and families, value is in the eye of the beholder. Consumerism has arisen as a determinate of what patients find valuable about health care. An abundance of choices and the ability to make or change those choices at any time for any reason is the driving factor. Cost continues to be a concern for many families. Additionally, convenience, access, personal outcomes, prevention, relationships, safety, and quality may all influence decisions patients and families make about when, where, what kind, and how much health care they consume. For those who pay for health care, value has a more concrete meaning. Given limited resources, patients, governments, and employers are all asking, "Am I getting what I pay for given the high cost?" All are demanding reductions in waste, improvements in outcomes, and increases in the value of the care they are purchasing. In response, physicians, health systems, and other providers are taking more responsibility for the entire spectrum of care, becoming accountable for both patient and population outcomes and being compensated on the basis of value. How will these forces of value and consumerism shape the practice of pediatrics? No one knows for certain. However, 1 thing seems to be clear; the lens has shifted. What's important and valuable is no longer determined solely by those providing care. Like the majority of US industries, value is determined by the consumer and purchaser. How will pediatricians and pediatric organizations respond? This fictitious press release could be released in your community soon. The Children's Network, a leading provider of pediatric health care in hospitals and independent pediatrician offices, and the RxCO Pharmacies are partnering to offer Children's Care: convenient, high- quality medical care for children that exceeds the expectations of today's busy families. Customers will experience easy access via mobile devices, multiple convenient locations should an in- person visit be necessary, on-site laboratory and pharmacy, and seamless coordination of care, all backed by the expert pediatricians, surgeons, and subspecialists of the Children's Network.