Wednesday, 7/15/2026
The School of Economics, Management and Political Science at the University of Minho (EEG) is proud to announce that Ana Sofia Moreira, a student on the PhD in Management programme, presented her doctoral thesis entitled “Value-Based Hospital Payment: Integrating Measurement, Organisational Capabilities and Payment Design” on 14 July 2026.
In the author’s own words:
"Healthcare systems face increasing pressure to improve health outcomes while ensuring efficient resource use. In this context, Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) has emerged as a reform paradigm aimed at aligning healthcare delivery with outcomes that matter to patients. However, its operationalization within hospital financing faces significant conceptual, organizational, and methodological challenges.
This thesis examines how hospital payment models can align financial incentives with a multidimensional conception of value. Adopting a multimethod approach, the research is structured around five components: synthesis of the evidence on VBHC through na umbrella review and a scoping review on the role of health information systems in its operationalization; development of a multidimensional value measurement framework based on multi-criteria decision analysis; conceptual development of an organizational capability maturity model; and expert validation of a decision-support framework for the design and implementation of value-based hospital payment models.
The findings show that VBHC initiatives can improve quality of care, efficiency, and patient satisfaction while reducing costs, although implementation remains constrained by fragmented value metrics, organizational resistance, and limitations in cost measurement. The evidence highlights data quality, analytical capacity, and specialized resources as critical enabling conditions. The value measurement framework enables multidimensional performance assessment, integrates stakeholder perspectives, and supports monitoring through a structured dashboard. The capability maturity model identifies gaps in organizational readiness across five levels. Expert validation supports the applicability of a six-phase framework to guide the design and implementation of value-based payment models. Overall, the thesis proposes na integrated architecture linking value measurement, organizational capabilities, and payment system design, supporting the transition from volume-based to value-based payment models."
The doctoral thesis was supervised by José Crispim, Professor in the Department of Management at the School of Economics, Management and Political Science, University of Minho.
The EEG congratulates Ana Sofia Moreira on her defence and wishes her every success in her professional and personal life!
Gabinete de Comunicação
Escola de Economia, Gestão e Ciência Política
Universidade do Minho
Telefone: 253 604 541
Email: gci@eeg.uminho.pt
