Accountable Care Organizations

In case you may not have heard, CMS (the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) has developed and is actively engaged in validating a set of guidelines for a new health care delivery system, called ACOs -- Accountable Care Organizations.

Some have mistakenly compared the concept to HMOs, whose success have been called into question. While it is true that in both models an organization is paid for delivering health care services to members, that’s where the similarities end. The new ACO model is based solely on outcomes, rather than volumes of patient visits and tests. And the new model embodies the principles of the Patient Centered Medical Home, Medication Therapy Management (MTM) and standardized, shared Health Information Systems (HIT). Industry stakeholders have stepped up, advisory boards have been empanelled, and pilots have been launched in a number of states.

These short videos explain the concepts and challenges in more detail, and will help you understand what you will have to do to prepare for what is to come. We urge you to view them.

Imagine A New Health Care System	Mayo ClinicÕs Accountable Care Organization Mission and Values
Dr. Patrick Carter Explains Accountable Care	Accountable Care A New Health Care Model
Accountable Care Organizations Take Shape	Accountable Care Organizations Changes that need to be made to create an ACO
American Academy of Family Physicians The Patient Centered Medical Home	California Association of Family Physicians The Patient Centered Medical Home