Value-based payments are a necessary step towards securing Australia’s healthcare system sustainability.
However, using financial incentives to change behaviour will require national leadership, substantial investment in better information technology, and improved data collection and sharing.
The value-based payment reform journey will be long and will experience some failures, but it offers considerable opportunities to complement the future needs and preferences of patients. Who bears the risk and who benefits must be transparent and factored into implementation to predict for uncertainties.
