Accountable Care

The surge in accountable care organizations and other network affiliations between healthcare providers is spelling big financial opportunity for hospital vice presidents of network development, a position that experts say is key in connecting the clinical and the business side of a health network.

With so many organizations making up your accountable care organization, the need for a collaborative approach to supply chain purchasing is leading organizations to lean on analytics tools and new chains of communication to keep costs in check.

Chief financial officers must determine the best value-based care model for their healthcare organization, experts say.

Only 19 organizations remain in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid innovation model program, but many have seen millions in savings.

The CMS Actuary said the program expansion would give MSSP participants the option of joining a Pioneer model ACO instead of graduating to a Track 2 model, which gives them more flexibility and a chance for deep savings if hospitals show strong quality.

The plan claims to give employers the potential to save up to 15 percent over Aetna's traditional broad provider network plans.

Baptist made money doing what used to be industry heresy: reducing patients' use of the medical system.

Narrow networks, accountable care, wellness screenings and health management all helped the city cut its annual cost increases for employee health from 10 percent to just over 1 percent.

Good communication between hospitalists and primary care physicians at the time of discharge is critical to patient safety and to the reduction of risk. Unfortunately, this communication has historically been “one way” in the form of a discharge summary.

Texas health system offering patients more choice and nurturing its own health plan, even while collaborating with major insurers.