Surgeon's Record January 7, 2026
Healthcare keeps confusing measurement with meaning
The Intuition of Value
I love a good bargain. Not in the sense of buying Halloween candy after Christmas or surrendering more of my personal information for 2% off a website purchase. I mean finding the right balance between quality and price — the sweet spot where marginal gain is maximized. Put differently, I like value.
I like healthcare value, too. At least, I like the idea that payment should have some relationship to meaningful outcomes, patient experience, and responsible use of resources. That idea has a name: value-based care (VBC). For a while, that concept enjoyed its moment in the sun. Now, there is increasing skepticism towards VBC.
For some, value has become...
Today's Sponsors
Today's Sponsor