Question

Paul Donovan, a Medicare patient, suffers from Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Recently, he presented to County Hospital
complaining of hip pain. How will the interoperability offered under Accountable Care Organization models impact Mr. Donovan’s care

Answer 1

The Accounatble care Organizational (ACO) Model would have a great impact on Mr. Donovan's care. As ACO model will focus on the following objectives of the programme there by improving the quality of care rendered to Mr.Donovan.

1. Focus on patient needs: Mr. Donovan's present problem of hip pain will be the main priority and emphasize of the heath care team is to give the best possible care to Mr. Donovan. For instance,normally as per portocol an imaging like X-ray or MRI may be performed and treatment would be precribed, but in ACO the primary need of the patient is hip pain and treatment is given to reduce this pain.

2.Physician leardship: Unlike other health care models, in ACO model physicians take active leadership in taking care of the patient which helps to improve the quality of care because, in ACO model, the proportion of physicians is approximately 50% , which is followed by nurse practioners about 40%. So the porpotion of physician are more which allow them to take more leadership in patient care.

3.Cost Lowering: One of the main objective of ACO is to reduce the cost of health care and this is obtained through-

a. Preventive care: So Mr. Donovan is expected to obtain health education on how to improve his health, teaching on diet, medication, exercise and follow-up care.

b. Through improving hospital efficiency: Patient get all the necessary diagnostic and interventional ttreatment is provided at the same institution in order to reduce readmission to hospital for treating same aliment.

Thus Accountable Care Organizational model will help Mr. Donovan in reducing his primary health need i.e to reduce hip pain, without undergoing unnecessary diagnostic procedures and also improves his knowledge level through various health education session in order to maintain his health through early preventive care. Eg: Routine Health check ups.