Value-Based Healthcare as a Competitive Strategy—A Multi-Stakeholder Perception Analysis in Portuguese Healthcare

Designing an accessible, financially viable healthcare system is a key challenge for society. The value-based healthcare (VBHC) strategic model aims to simultaneously improve the quality of healthcare and the efficiency of health systems. The aim of this research was to describe the perceptions of different stakeholders in the Portuguese health industry about the creation of value and the understanding of VBHC as a competitive advantage. A qualitative study was conducted using the inductive method of Braun and Clarke, designed according to the COREQ criteria. Based on the results of the literature review, a semi-structured script for an interview was created, consisting of eight questions. The initial interview script was based on a thorough narrative literature review and tested with two professionals with practical experience in VBHC. The final version of the semi-structured interview guide consisted of eight open-ended questions. The questions were designed to elicit in-depth, reflective responses, and their neutrality was reviewed to avoid leading language that might introduce bias. As the interviews progressed, minor iterative changes were made to include participant-suggested additions, always maintaining alignment with the research objectives. This iterative process was essential to capture the nuanced perspectives of stakeholders and conformed to COREQ standards for qualitative research. A total of 15 stakeholders in VBHC were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and coded, and 605 codes were created, divided into subthemes and themes. VBHC implementation faces several challenges, requiring a collaborative effort by the stakeholders involved, to achieve a comprehensive vision of value and appropriate multi-stakeholder alignment. The implementation of VBHC can confer a sustainable competitive advantage, and its adoption as a strategic model will be inevitable in the future.