About the Alliance
What is accountable care?
The Accountable Care Alliance is one of the first accountable care organizations in the country. Its primary goals are to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care while reducing health care costs. Accountable care is also about partnerships ... between and among primary care physicians, specialists, hospitals and patients.
- Partners who work together to monitor and manage the health of every patient, through every care setting — clinic, hospital, home.
- Providers who share information and expectations with patients not only to improve the care experience of the patient but also to engage the patient in a larger role in his or her health care decisions.
- Providers who share systems, technology and education in order to ensure the right care is being provided at the right time and the right place, for the right price.
- Providers who hold each other accountable for high-quality care through ongoing reporting and benchmarking against regional and national standards.
Reformation of the American health care system requires improvements to the way care is delivered. The Accountable Care System is a new, highly promising option that is capable of addressing what many agree are today’s most pressing needs:
- Redesign of care processes.
- Effective utilization of information technologies.
- Management of clinical knowledge and skills.
- Development of effective teams.
- Coordination of care across patient conditions, services and settings over time.
- Incorporation of performance and outcome measurements for improvements and accountability; and
- The ability to adapt to change.
Learn more about national models for the Accountable Care Organization.
Medicare ACO plan still needs work, AMA says
National Institute for Health Care Reform, Advancing Health Policy Research
Lessons from the field: Making Accountable Care Organizations Real
Kaiser Health News
FAQ about ACOs
