Road to HIMSS - ACOs are Gaining Ground
Recently, Health Data Management and other outlets reported that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has selected 32 delivery systems to participate in the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization program authorized under the Affordable Care Act. The Pioneer ACO is one of eight programs under the Affordable Care Act aimed at incenting providers to improve the coordination and quality of care while lowering costs by reducing unnecessary tests and focusing on preventive care vs. reactive care. Five of the 32 hospitals, including Partners HealthCare and Steward Health Care System, are in Massachusetts, which has been regarded as an epicenter for healthcare and technology innovation. Starting January 1, the federal program will give them a budget to care for their more than 150,000 patients, rather than a payment for each test or treatment. According to the Boston Globe, other participating organizations in New England are: the Beth Israel Deaconess Physician Organization, Mount Auburn Cambridge Independent Practice Association, Eastern Maine Healthcare System and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock ACO.
Schwartz MSL client, Simpler Consulting, is a lean management consulting firm that has helped more than 80 hospitals across the country cut costs and improve patient care. This week, Simpler’s clients Massachusetts-based Atrius Health and Wisconsin-based ThedaCare, were selected among the 32 healthcare organizations that will be participating in the Pioneer ACO program. In a recent Inside Healthcare interview, Dr. Eugene Lindsey, president and CEO of Atrius Health discussed how healthcare organizations are moving towards the ACO model. He remarked, “Exactly what it will look like when we get there is unclear. But they will allow physicians to work together to improve quality and improve stewardship of the healthcare dollar. That’s the part that’s attractive to us because that’s been what we’ve been trying to pursue all along.”
Mike Chamberlain, president of Simpler Consulting North America, added, “The desired results of accountable care organizations match up very closely to the proven results lean management in healthcare provides: cost reduction and coordination of care to ultimately increase patient satisfaction and improve patient outcomes. As healthcare organizations move towards the accountable care model, our clients are continuing to look to us as a resource to help them identify the best approach for successful implementation of ACOs.”
HIMSS 2012 will be a great venue for organizations who are involved with ACOs to discuss, network and learn more about this critical market in healthcare today. In fact, the HIMSS Knowledge Centers, a new exhibit at the conference this year located at Booth 6466, Hall D, will bring together educational sessions, case studies, exhibits and other resources on given topics. Accountable Care Organizations / Value-Based Purchasing is at the top of the list.
To learn more about opportunities at HIMSS 2012, Schwartz MSL has created a Road to HIMSS 2012 Planning Guide to help you navigate the PR and marketing opportunities at the show, and give you useful advice on strategy, as well as a timeline to help you plan ahead and even some tips on other fun things to do in Vegas.
For further advice or information on how Schwartz MSL can partner with you, please contact Dave Close or Doug Russell in our Boston office at 781-684-0770, or Shannon Murphy in our San Francisco office at 415-512-0770, or send an email to healthcareIT@schwartzmsl.com.
Posted by Davida Dinerman on December 22, 2011 at 11:28 AM
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