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It's rare when controlling hospital costs and providing quality patient healthcare meet in harmony without sacrificing one for the other. A healthcare concept called value-based care may hold the key to uniting these two somewhat polar opposites. In the face of crippling Medicare and Medicaid increases, the shift to value-based care is gaining greater support from hospitals and the federal government. And patients could be the ultimate benefactor since provider reimbursements are based on improving the health of patients in hospitals, outpatient clinics or at home.

In November's Pulse, our editor's letter explains that value-based care is as much analytical as it is medical. Along those lines, our cover story examines the inroads value-based care is making on the shoulders of data analytics tools and population health management software. We bring to light some healthcare organizations that are committed to value-based models of care, while others are gradually transitioning from traditional volume-based fee-for-service reimbursements. In another feature, we look at the increasingly critical role data scientists play in analyzing patient trends that can lead to improved outcomes and better quality of care. Likewise, medical staff trained in informatics and IT can potentially fill the role of a data scientist.

Also in this issue, learn how providers using data analytics can successfully shift to value-based care by measuring key patient indicators and reducing hospital readmissions and health complications.