There is a need to revise the current healthcare organization due to the ever-rising costs and variation in quality of delivered care. Over the past decades there have been several strategic frameworks attempting to tackle this problem. Value-based healthcare (VBHC) is one of those frameworks which has gained increasing popularity the last years. The framework is formulated on the premise that the healthcare sector should deliver integrated care, using integrated practice units (IPUs), and strive to maximize the value created. Value in this context is defined as the health outcomes achieved per costs made. We have designed a lean IPU called PsoPlus in which psoriasis patients are managed by a multidisciplinary team which has all the expertise and skill to manage psoriasis and its associated conditions. In addition, we have developed and implemented guidelines for the management of psoriasis-associated comorbidities, enabling us to deliver integrated care in the Belgian healthcare setting. Finally, we have designed a supporting information technology platform, called PsoSmart, which brings data from patients and healthcare providers together and provides actionable insights for clinical decision making. The created value is documented and captured using a value-based outcome set. Cost assessments at the individual patient level are also performed. To conclude, we describe here a comprehensive IPU setting for psoriasis which incorporates the VBHC principles. This IPU goes further and delivers a higher level of integrated care than other multidisciplinary psoriasis clinics. Monitoring outcomes and costs provides us with further insights to optimize psoriasis care. In addition, a software program designed to enhance psoriasis care is being developed further; however, advances in healthcare technology are needed.
Keywords: Integrated care; Integrated practice unit; Psoriasis; Value-based healthcare.
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