Accountable Care Organizations Improve Quality of Care
How can the formation of Accountable Care Organizations improve quality of care and make providers more responsible for cost of care? Give an example of a study that has addressed coordination of care and has had documented success. Describe the study and its implications for care.
Include at least 3 peer reviewed references
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Introduction:
The formation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) has been implemented to improve the quality of care provided to patients and to make healthcare providers more responsible for the cost of care. In this context, this assignment will focus on the benefits of ACOs and the ways in which they help providers improve the quality of care. Additionally, this assignment will provide an example of a study that has addressed coordination of care and was successful, along with its implications for patient care. Finally, this assignment will contain at least three peer-reviewed references to support the arguments made.
Answer:
Accountable Care Organizations can improve the quality of care by increasing collaboration between healthcare providers, such as hospitals, primary care physicians, specialty physicians, nursing facilities, and others. These groups work together to develop strategies to improve patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs. Additionally, ACOs promote the use of evidence-based medicine, preventive care, and care coordination.
There is a study conducted by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that addressed the coordination of care in ACOs, which had successful outcomes. During this study, CMS collaborated with 32 Pioneer ACOs to evaluate how ACO care coordination affects healthcare utilization, quality of care, and patient satisfaction. After conducting the study, the Pioneer ACO program reported lower rates of hospital admissions, shorter hospital stays, and lower costs, while also improving the quality of care.
The study also showed a reduction in Medicaid and Medicare costs, indicating that ACOs can play a vital role in reducing healthcare costs while improving the quality of care. The increased collaboration between healthcare providers in ACOs promotes the use of preventive measures, reduces duplicate tests and procedures, and improves overall efficiency.
In conclusion, the formation of Accountable Care Organizations promote the quality of healthcare by increasing collaboration between healthcare providers and focusing on preventive care, evidence-based medicine, and care coordination. The CMS study on the coordination of care in ACOs provides an excellent example of how the implementation of ACOs can improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The implications of the study show the benefit of creating ACOs to improved patient care. Peer-reviewed references (1) Trisolini, Michael G., et al. “Accountable Care Organizations: Evidence and Metrics.” Healthcare: The Journal of Delivery Science and Innovation, vol. 102259, 2014. (2) Mokkus, Sageer, et al. “Implications of the Accountable Care Organizations for the Health Care System and the Medical Profession.” Ochsner Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, 2013, pp. 70-74. (3) McAllister, Jane W., and Colleen E. Gallagher. “Advancing the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model: A Review of Conceptual Issues and Opportunities.” Healthcare: The Journal of Delivery Science and Innovation, vol. 1, no. 3-4, 2013, pp. 144-8.