Identifying health system value dimensions: more than health gain?

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Health Economics
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Publicly funded health systems face increasing demands for program evaluation.
• Program value is understood as multi-dimensional, encompassing more than just health improvement.
• Existing methods may not fully capture the diverse expectations of health system value.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, implement, and validate a methodology for eliciting health system values.
• To guide health care priority setting by incorporating a comprehensive understanding of value.
• To identify and classify key dimensions of health system value.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel methodology to elicit health system values.
• Implementation and validation of the proposed methodology.
• Elicitation of values from both potential and actual users of the health system.

Main Results:

• The methodology is suitable for eliciting and validating health system values.
• Health gain alone is insufficient to capture the full spectrum of health system value.
• Identified and classified values include process-related improvements (e.g., waiting times, choice) and equity.

Conclusions:

• A robust methodology exists for assessing multi-dimensional health system values.
• Health care priority setting should consider a broader definition of value beyond health gain.
• Incorporating user-defined values enhances the relevance and effectiveness of health reforms.