The Council of Accountable Physician Practices, an affiliate of the American Medical Group Association, has announced a new public education program aimed at providing resources and information about the value of care coordination and accountable care to national healthcare reform.
The campaign, called www.5RealAnswers.org, features three websites aimed at unique demographic populations. Consumer-focused information can be found at www.AccountableCareChoices.org, while members of the media can search www.AccountableCareFacts.org for relevant information and policymakers will find targeted information at www.AccountableCareStories.org. Each site is designed to provide tools, research, definitions, case studies and FAQs about what accountable care should be and why it's an important part of health reform.
[See also: NEJM article spotlights financial risks associated with ACOs; CIGNA says ACO pilots show lower costs, better quality of care]
"This campaign strives to illustrate what healthcare that is accountable and patient-centered can look like when healthcare providers are properly motivated to work together," said Francis J. Crosson, MD, CAPP's chairman and a two-term MedPAC appointee. "There are many medical groups and healthcare organizations in this country that embrace accountability for cost and quality, and as such have become leaders in our industry. We want to share our knowledge and best practices so that the general public, media and policymakers can come to understand what can be achieved when 'systems' of care are aligned in the patient's best interest."
The accountable care philosophy is based on five principles:
- A patient-centered approach to care that emphasizes primary care and prevention;
- the use of health information technology to improve information-sharing and communication among providers;
- team-based, coordinated care and case management;
- evidence-based treatment options; and
- appropriate access to care services to ensure that patients get the right care at the right time.
"If we look at the medical groups and provider organizations that have already accepted accountability and provide the benefits that are expected of accountable care organizations, we believe the foundation exists on which to further develop a patient-focused system that significantly improves quality, provides accountability and contains cost," said Nancy Taylor, CAPP's executive director. "This isn't just the future of healthcare in America. In many regions, accountable care already exists today."
CAPP is a consortium of physician-led group practices and organized health systems, including the Geisinger Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Vanguard, Group Health, Intermountain Healthcare, HealthPartners, The Permanente Federation and Mayo Health Systems. The organization's goal is to demonstrate that accountable physician practices deliver effective, efficient healthcare that improves clinical outcomes, satisfies patients and controls costs and foster the development of accountable physician practices – or accountable care organizations – as a model for healthcare system reform.