The rising cost of healthcare in the United States coupled with the absence of return on investment for Americans’ health is an important concern for many leaders across the country. And as many health systems adopt new strategies to reduce patient readmission rates and improve Hospital Consumer Assessments of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores, clear measurement of patient outcomes and performance indicators have never been more essential.

At the 2012 Gallup Healthcare Summit held earlier this month, experts from some of the world’s most preeminent healthcare systems discussed successful, evidence-based leadership practices and innovative strategies for improving care and the patient experience. These healthcare leaders adopted behavioral economic indicators that predicted outcomes for their healthcare systems, improved their operating margins, and engaged their employees.

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