Objectives:To investigate the clinical feasibility of three-dimensional(3D)high-resolution late gadolinium enhancement(LGE)MRI in accessing left atrial myocardial fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation(AF). Methods:A total of 34 AF patients referred for hybrid surgical ablation were retrospectively enrolled in this study.3D-LGE-MRI images were acquired by Siemens 3.0 T machine and analyzed by ADAS post-processing software by two experienced radiologists to obtain parameters such as the area and the area percentage of LGE.Regional analysis was performed by one of the two radiologists at ten left atrial segments.The Kappa test was used to assess the agreement for scoring image quality,and the interclass correlation coefficient(ICC)was used to evaluate the interobserver agreement of LGE parameters.The parameters of left atrial morphology,area(and area percentage)of LGE,and location of LGE were compared between patients with persistent AF and paroxysmal AF. Results:Images of all 34 patients were considered to have diagnostic value.The scores of the overall image quality and the clarity of the left atrial wall evaluated by two radiologists were(2.88±0.64)points and(3.26±0.75)points(radiologist 1),(2.97±0.58)points and(3.24±0.70)points(radiologist 2),respectively.The corresponding Kappa values were 0.724 and 0.859.Both the area and the area percentage of LGE showed good consistency among observers,and the ICCs were 0.969 and 0.950,respectively.The difference in the area of LGE and the area percentage of LGE between patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation was similar(both P＞0.05).Compared with patients with paroxysmal AF,patients with persistent AF had a higher Utah stage and more severe myocardial fibrosis in the right inferior pulmonary vein antrum and the left atrial septum(all P＜0.05). Conclusions:3D high-resolution LGE-MRI provides a non-invasive way to visualize and quantify left atrial myocardial fibrosis.The extent of left atrial fibrosis in patients with persistent AF is more severe than that in patients with paroxysmal AF,with a preferential distribution in the right inferior pulmonary vein antrum and the left atrial septum.

Objective:To explore the difficulties and methods of value-based pricing of healthcare services,and to provide references for the price management of healthcare services in China.Methods:Based on the analysis of literature and policy,the operational methods of value-based pricing are clarified,and the international application experience of value-based pricing is reviewed.Comprehensive field research and interviews are conducted to analyze the difficulties in applying value-based pricing to healthcare services.Results:Currently,there are no mature theories and methods for value-based pricing of healthcare services,and there are also many practical difficulties in financing,payment,assessment and evaluation policies.Conclusion:In the future,it should consider incorporating service experience into the value framework independently of utility,and take"service utility"as the basis for pricing healthcare services,and select relevant indicators for measurement.At the same time,the price of healthcare services should take into account the willingness to pay of multiple parties,and stakeholders need to work closely together to form a consensus on value.

Objective:Compared to pricing based on input value,pricing based on output can better motivate service outcomes towards expectations and enhance input-output efficiency.The path of outcome value-oriented pricing for healthcare services is explored to provide a theoretical foundation for the value-based pricing of healthcare services.Methods:The concepts,methods and international experience of value pricing are sorted out.Results:Outcome-based pricing in healthcare services is divided into effect and utility,and is classified into four categories based on the different emphasis on the effect and utility of healthcare services.Conclusion:Services with a strong emphasis on effectiveness can draw inspiration from the Quantified Quality of Life(QALY)results in the medical technology field,while services with a strong emphasis on utility may require the development of new utility scales for service evaluation.

Objective:To explore the difficulties and methods of value-based pricing of healthcare services,and to provide references for the price management of healthcare services in China.Methods:Based on the analysis of literature and policy,the operational methods of value-based pricing are clarified,and the international application experience of value-based pricing is reviewed.Comprehensive field research and interviews are conducted to analyze the difficulties in applying value-based pricing to healthcare services.Results:Currently,there are no mature theories and methods for value-based pricing of healthcare services,and there are also many practical difficulties in financing,payment,assessment and evaluation policies.Conclusion:In the future,it should consider incorporating service experience into the value framework independently of utility,and take"service utility"as the basis for pricing healthcare services,and select relevant indicators for measurement.At the same time,the price of healthcare services should take into account the willingness to pay of multiple parties,and stakeholders need to work closely together to form a consensus on value.

Objective:Compared to pricing based on input value,pricing based on output can better motivate service outcomes towards expectations and enhance input-output efficiency.The path of outcome value-oriented pricing for healthcare services is explored to provide a theoretical foundation for the value-based pricing of healthcare services.Methods:The concepts,methods and international experience of value pricing are sorted out.Results:Outcome-based pricing in healthcare services is divided into effect and utility,and is classified into four categories based on the different emphasis on the effect and utility of healthcare services.Conclusion:Services with a strong emphasis on effectiveness can draw inspiration from the Quantified Quality of Life(QALY)results in the medical technology field,while services with a strong emphasis on utility may require the development of new utility scales for service evaluation.

Objective:To explore the difficulties and methods of value-based pricing of healthcare services,and to provide references for the price management of healthcare services in China.Methods:Based on the analysis of literature and policy,the operational methods of value-based pricing are clarified,and the international application experience of value-based pricing is reviewed.Comprehensive field research and interviews are conducted to analyze the difficulties in applying value-based pricing to healthcare services.Results:Currently,there are no mature theories and methods for value-based pricing of healthcare services,and there are also many practical difficulties in financing,payment,assessment and evaluation policies.Conclusion:In the future,it should consider incorporating service experience into the value framework independently of utility,and take"service utility"as the basis for pricing healthcare services,and select relevant indicators for measurement.At the same time,the price of healthcare services should take into account the willingness to pay of multiple parties,and stakeholders need to work closely together to form a consensus on value.

Objective:Compared to pricing based on input value,pricing based on output can better motivate service outcomes towards expectations and enhance input-output efficiency.The path of outcome value-oriented pricing for healthcare services is explored to provide a theoretical foundation for the value-based pricing of healthcare services.Methods:The concepts,methods and international experience of value pricing are sorted out.Results:Outcome-based pricing in healthcare services is divided into effect and utility,and is classified into four categories based on the different emphasis on the effect and utility of healthcare services.Conclusion:Services with a strong emphasis on effectiveness can draw inspiration from the Quantified Quality of Life(QALY)results in the medical technology field,while services with a strong emphasis on utility may require the development of new utility scales for service evaluation.

Objective:To explore the difficulties and methods of value-based pricing of healthcare services,and to provide references for the price management of healthcare services in China.Methods:Based on the analysis of literature and policy,the operational methods of value-based pricing are clarified,and the international application experience of value-based pricing is reviewed.Comprehensive field research and interviews are conducted to analyze the difficulties in applying value-based pricing to healthcare services.Results:Currently,there are no mature theories and methods for value-based pricing of healthcare services,and there are also many practical difficulties in financing,payment,assessment and evaluation policies.Conclusion:In the future,it should consider incorporating service experience into the value framework independently of utility,and take"service utility"as the basis for pricing healthcare services,and select relevant indicators for measurement.At the same time,the price of healthcare services should take into account the willingness to pay of multiple parties,and stakeholders need to work closely together to form a consensus on value.

Objective:Compared to pricing based on input value,pricing based on output can better motivate service outcomes towards expectations and enhance input-output efficiency.The path of outcome value-oriented pricing for healthcare services is explored to provide a theoretical foundation for the value-based pricing of healthcare services.Methods:The concepts,methods and international experience of value pricing are sorted out.Results:Outcome-based pricing in healthcare services is divided into effect and utility,and is classified into four categories based on the different emphasis on the effect and utility of healthcare services.Conclusion:Services with a strong emphasis on effectiveness can draw inspiration from the Quantified Quality of Life(QALY)results in the medical technology field,while services with a strong emphasis on utility may require the development of new utility scales for service evaluation.

Objective:To explore the difficulties and methods of value-based pricing of healthcare services,and to provide references for the price management of healthcare services in China.Methods:Based on the analysis of literature and policy,the operational methods of value-based pricing are clarified,and the international application experience of value-based pricing is reviewed.Comprehensive field research and interviews are conducted to analyze the difficulties in applying value-based pricing to healthcare services.Results:Currently,there are no mature theories and methods for value-based pricing of healthcare services,and there are also many practical difficulties in financing,payment,assessment and evaluation policies.Conclusion:In the future,it should consider incorporating service experience into the value framework independently of utility,and take"service utility"as the basis for pricing healthcare services,and select relevant indicators for measurement.At the same time,the price of healthcare services should take into account the willingness to pay of multiple parties,and stakeholders need to work closely together to form a consensus on value.