| SOC24 | Deep Dive: Benefits and challenges to outcome-based financing for health

In this session, we took global stock of the landscape of outcome-based investments in health. We then explored the experience of the benefits and challenges in this field, as well as the tried-and-true solutions to mitigate risks. This was informed by international case studies in Europe, Australia, UK, and Netherlands. We investigated key questions which have relevancy for any stakeholder interested in the area of health.

Key questions:

• What are the barriers to investing in health outcomes?
• What is the value-add of new funding types for achieving better health outcomes?
• How can we overcome the risks perceived by different actors in investing in health at the system-level?

The third session, chaired by Emily Hulse, saw panelists consider the benefits and challenges to outcomes-based financing for health. The case was made for outcomes-based financing, highlighting the benefits like risk transfer and alignment of actors, whilst also considering concerns about integrating models into existing healthcare systems, measuring meaningful outcomes, and the perception of value-based models by providers. Ruben Koekoek, of Social Finance NL, encouraged us to consider the following: “A successful intervention does not mean a successful impact bond. We need to ask, does it work better than when we contracted in a traditional way?”