Creating Value Through Learning Health Systems: The Alberta Strategic Clinical Network Experience

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Innovation

Background:

• Implementing multicomponent interventions in healthcare often leads to delayed value realization.
• Value-based health care (VBHC) aims to improve patient and system outcomes while optimizing costs.
• A learning health system (LHS) framework can accelerate the translation of evidence into practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the application of a VBHC approach optimized through an LHS framework.
• To demonstrate how Strategic Clinical Networks facilitate evidence-to-practice acceleration.
• To present practical tools for measuring and attributing value to healthcare improvement initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Case studies of VBHC implementation in perioperative services and neonatal intensive care.
• Utilizing an innovation pipeline as a structural process for intervention deployment.
• Employing a benefits realization approach with a value for money improvement calculator.

Main Results:

• Both case studies showed accelerated implementation of clinical practice interventions across multiple sites.
• Scientific, financial, and administrative supports, alongside partnerships, were key to success.
• The value for money calculator effectively attributed value to improvement initiatives using system data.

Conclusions:

• The LHS framework, integrated with VBHC and Strategic Clinical Networks, effectively accelerates evidence to practice.
• Structured support and partnerships are crucial for successful multicomponent intervention implementation.
• Practical tools like the benefits realization calculator aid in demonstrating the value of healthcare improvements.