Accountable Care Organization, Healthcare Big Data, Healthcare Portal, and ACO Implementation Resources
FEATURED ARTICLES: ACO
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![Ken Congdon, Editor In Chief of Health IT Outcomes]( "Obamacare On Trial: The Potential Repercussions For Health IT")
Obamacare On Trial: The Potential Repercussions For Health ITIs the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly referred to as the healthcare reform law, or Obamacare) unconstitutional? Can the federal government require us to purchase a product (health insurance), or is this an infringement on our personal freedom? By Ken Congdon, editor in chief, Health IT Outcomes
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Guest Column: Providers' Perceptions: A Conversation With WellStar's Ron2/1/2011WellStar senior VP and CIO, Ron Strachan discusses the IT turnaround he has initiated during his tenure, and his facilities' path to Meaningful Use, Health Information Exchange, and Accountable Care Organizations. By Ron Strachan, senior VP and CIO, WellStar
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Telehealth's Untapped Potential4/8/2011The U.S. healthcare system has undoubtedly gained heightened awareness of IT over the past few years. For example, government mandates are driving providers to adopt EHRs to improve operational efficiency and allow patient data to be easily shared among providers.
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Provider Perspectives On The Future Of Healthcare1/1/2015
A study reveals there are gaps in healthcare outlooks between providers and patients. By Christine Kern, contributing writer
- CMS Establishes New Affordable Care Act Initiative To Promote Rural ACOs
- ACOs Don't Limit Use Of Cardiovascular Care
- Obamacare Upheld: How The SCOTUS Decision Benefits Health IT
- National Rural Accountable Care Consortium Adds 5 ACOs
- Washington Hospitals, Boeing Strike ACO Deal
- Narrow Networks Challenge Healthcare Providers, Insurers
CASE STUDIES & WHITE PAPERS
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Achieving Success With The 5010 / ICD-10 Change-Over2/8/2012SuccessEHS is a nationally acclaimed vendor providing Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Practice Management solutions with Integrated Medical Billing Services.
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White Paper: Transforming IT For Accountable Healthcare5/5/2011This February 2011 white paper looks at the impact of ARRA and PPACA on provider organizations and the role IT can play in preparing healthcare providers for future success in the evolving landscape. An IDC Health Insights White Paper sponsored by HP
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IT Infrastructure: A Foundation For Accountable Care Organizations8/11/2011The advent of healthcare reform will require a health information technology infrastructure that integrates all the “moving parts” of an ACO, including hospitals, physicians, labs, outpatient centers, claims and analytics.
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
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![Ken Congdon, Editor In Chief of Health IT Outcomes]( "Is Technology To Blame For Physician Burnout?")
Is Technology To Blame For Physician Burnout?According to a recent Medscape survey, 46% of physicians say they are burned out. How much is the drive towards health IT adoption contributing to this epidemic?
ABOUT ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS (ACO)
An Accountable Care Organization (ACO) utilizes a payment and care delivery system that bases payments to providers on quality metrics and seeks to reduce the total cost of care for a certain population of patients. ACOs use a range of payment models and consist of groups of coordinated healthcare providers that provide care to groups of patients. ACOs are accountable to a third-party payer and the group of patients for the appropriateness, quality, and efficiency of the health services they provide.
In 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) set forth initial guidelines for ACOs to be created under the Medicare Shared Savings Program. These guidelines contained all necessary steps required for a physician, health care provider, or hospital to voluntarily participate in ACOs.
The quality measures used to evaluate an ACO's performance as defined by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) fall into five domains. These domains are patient/caregiver experience, care coordination, patient safety, preventative health, and at-risk population/frail elderly health.
The three stakeholders in an ACO are the providers, payers, and patients. Providers are a network of hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare professionals. The primary payer is the federal government, Medicare, but also includes other payers such as private insurances or employee-purchased insurance. The patient population of an ACO will primarily consist of Medicare beneficiaries, but in larger ACOs can also include those who are homeless and uninsured.
FEATURED NEWS
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Population Health Cuts Anthem ACO Costs By Nearly $8 Million6/30/2015
Anthem’s program provides doctors with additional payments if they lower the cost of patients’ care. By Christine Kern, contributing writer
ACO NEWS ARTICLES
- WEDI Releases Guide On HIPAA Transactions Requiring ICD-10 Codes
- Automated Quality Reporting Through EHRs Can Result In Significant Efficiencies And Care Improvements
- CMS Releases Updated Data On EHR Adoption
- West Florida ACO Chooses Sandlot Solutions As Partner In Patient Health Information Management
- Box Powers The Healthcare Information Revolution With Partner Ecosystem