Question

A hospital and an independent physician association (IPA) comprising 600 physicians have elected to apply to participate in the accountable care organization (ACO) program sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The hospital and IPA will agree to provide healthcare to a minimum of 5000 Medicare beneficiaries. Because the individual entities are required to report to Medicare as one entity on 33 quality metrics, including seven patient encounter caregiver experience elements, the ACO is interested in facilitating the widespread adoption of electronic medical records within the ACO. Accordingly, the hospital intends to provide assistance to the individual physicians to obtain electronic health records. In addition, the individual physicians will be required to achieve Meaningful Use and comply with policies and procedures of the ACO. Regardless of the electronic health record they would like to purchase, the individual physicians will be required to exchange health information electronically to improve effective communication between healthcare providers, reduce duplicate visits, and lower the overall cost of delivering care to the Medicare beneficiaries.

3. Discuss the benefits of using health IT within the ACO program.

Answer 1

Accountable care organisation:

The ACO is a new model for Health care delivery. ACOs are described as provider run groups that accepts responsibility for the cost and quality half care of defend papulation.

Benefits:

• Improved papulation health by the primary care services, co-ordinating services across level of care.
• Improved the patient quality of care, better care for the individual and better health for the papulation.
• Focus on the patient includes primary care provider, hospital, long time fecilities.
• Physician leadership: play an important role in the ACO. He will help to decide how to provide best care for the patient.
• Lower cost: cost savings would be achieved by the emphasized preventive care, increasing operational efficiencies, reducing hospital administration.
• Shared savings from a practical view , primary care practices could achieve financial benefits through their participation in ACO program.