Activity-based funding is a method of funding health care providers, including acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities and rehabilitation facilities, for the care and services they provide.
CIHI has a team of experts who can assist Canadian health system funders as they consider activity-based funding. We have technical expertise in clinical data, financial data and case-mix systems, all of which are important components in the design of an activity-based funding model.
We offer workshops and one-on-one meetings to discuss how CIHI can assist in the design and implementation of activity-based funding or other evidence-based funding models.
We welcome your feedback and questions
- Contact us at casemix@cihi.ca
- Have a data inquiry or research question? Make a custom data request.
Activity-based funding information
Overview
Overview of activity-based funding
The objectives of an activity-based funding model can include
- Increased efficiency of resources
- Improved transparency of health care spending
- Improved access to care
- Increased equity in funding among health care organizations
- Better accountability in the health care sector
Activity-based funding is defined by several features:
- Case mix: A case-mix system is used to describe hospital activity and to define its products or outputs
- Payment price: A payment price is set for each case-mix group in advance of the funding period
- Payment by patient: Providers are paid a set price for each patient they treat
- Hospital revenue: A hospital can affect its current-year budget by changing its current-year patient volume and mix
Important areas where CIHI is assisting jurisdictions with the implementation of activity-based funding include
- Enhancing the way existing case-mix products are used and applied in funding, and creating new products
- Performing research and providing technical expertise to jurisdictions to help them design, implement, monitor and evaluate health care funding models
- Promoting knowledge of funding mechanisms and CIHI’s role in case-mix methodologies
- Helping provinces and territories share their experiences and activities
Reports and analyses about activity-based funding
Databases and data sources about activity-based funding
Related CIHI databases and data sources include