A discrete period of healthcare services provided to an individual for a specific health condition or during a defined timeframe constitutes a comprehensive unit of care. This encompasses all services delivered, beginning with the initial encounter for a health issue and concluding when the individual’s condition has resolved, stabilized, or care has been appropriately transferred. An example includes the entirety of treatment, from diagnosis to completion of physical therapy, for a patient recovering from a fractured femur.
The concept is essential for value-based healthcare models. It allows for a more holistic understanding of costs and outcomes associated with treating a particular condition. This understanding facilitates the design of more efficient and effective care pathways. Historically, healthcare reimbursement often focused on individual services. A shift toward bundled payments and other models, relies on defining the scope, to incentivize coordinated, high-quality treatment.
