Pricing for safety and quality in healthcare: A discussion paper

Increasingly, over the past decade, there has been a global shift in healthcare away from fixed “fee for service” payment mechanisms towards value-based reimbursement models rewarding safety and quality patient outcomes. Curbing the burgeoning costs of healthcare while incentivising higher quality and safer patient care are key drivers of this approach. At face value, this is clearly a worthwhile endeavour. However, there is a lack of conclusive evidence to support the effectiveness of such schemes where they have been introduced internationally. For this reason, Australia has largely been an observer of the shift in payment modalities that are occurring in other countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Method: This paper presents an overview of current Australian practice in pricing for safety and quality in Healthcare. Recommendations are provided to help infection control professionals prepare for the upcoming introduction of funding reforms aimed at reducing complications acquired in Australian public hospitals. Conclusion: The implications for infection control professionals are wide-ranging. This will be a period of significant adjustment for the public health system in Australia.