Scrutiny of healthcare value in the United States isn’t new, but purchasers and consumers are indicating a renewed emphasis. Accordingly, organizations across the industry devote their efforts to improving healthcare value, and they’re finding success in pockets. There are physicians saving lives and health plans ensuring members receive the right care at the right time. There are life science companies creating innovative, life-changing therapies and hospital systems elevating the health of their communities. And yet, industry-wide healthcare value remains insufficient, as quality and experience continue to suffer. For example, 73% of adults in the U.S. say the healthcare system is not meeting their needs, and 60% of physicians often have feelings of burnout.¹ Meanwhile, costs continue to skyrocket with the U.S. spending twice as much as comparable countries on healthcare.²

Four key tensions limit individual stakeholders and the broader industry from elevating healthcare value. These four tensions can be conceptualized as spectrums from short term to long term, individual to population, outputs to outcomes, and proven strategies to experimental ones.