5 Critical ACO Success Factors

As the healthcare environment moves from fee-for-service to pay-for-performance and from fragmented to coordinated care, many healthcare providers are considering developing or joining accountable care organizations. Because of that dramatic shift in mindset these organizations require, not every ACO will succeed. In order to improve your ACOs chance for success, Terri Welter, principal at ECG Management Consultants, says ACOs should focus on five critical success factors.

http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/5-critical-aco-success-factors.html

St. Francis Health Network, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Team to Serve Hoosier Healthwise Members

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Francis Health Network (SFHN) and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) announced today a new agreement that will provide members enrolled in Hoosier Healthwise and the Healthy Indiana Plan with access to a more integrated health system. The new contract has an effective date of Jan. 1, 2011, and will expand access for an estimated 28,000 Medicaid beneficiaries in south-central Indiana.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-francis-health-network-anthem-blue-cross-and-blue-shield-team-to-serve-hoosier-healthwise-members-107024533.html

Norton, UKHealthCare become partners

Anticipating the changes coming with health care reform, UK HealthCare and Norton Healthcare are joining forces, hoping to improve care — especially in the areas of cancer, heart disease, stroke, organ transplants, diabetes and medical training — across the state.

Although the two groups have been in talks for about 18 months, exactly how the partnership will work is not set, said Dr. Michael Karpf, UK executive vice president for health affairs. Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/11/09/1515969/norton-ukhealthcare-become-partners.html#ixzz14tkwthVh

Cleveland-Area Hospitals Strengthen Ties With Independent Physicians as They Prepare for ACOs

Cleveland-Area hospitals have recently made moves to strengthen their ties with independent physicians as they prepare for accountable care organizations, according to a Crain's Cleveland Business report.

Cleveland-based MetroHealth System, for example, is looking to employ or partner with physicians who wish to maintain independent. A representative for the system said it will consider aligning with as many high quality physicians as possible, according to the report.

http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/cleveland-area-hospitals-strengthen-ties-with-independent-physicians-as-they-prepare-for-acos.html

6 Best Practices on Bringing Independent Physicians Into Hospital-Run ACOs

As hospitals gear up for accountable care organizations, independent physicians are "a hot commodity," says Mary C. Reed, vice president of Gateway Health in Cleveland. Ms. Reed, who is helping a number of organizations create ACOs, says non-employed physicians, who are often specialists, are sorely needed to make ACOs run, and they need to be treated well. She provided six tips on dealing with independent physicians at the recent National Accountable Care Organization Congress in Los Angeles.

http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/6-best-practices-on-bringing-independent-physicians-into-hospital-run-acos.html

8 Specific Ways to Launch an ACO Without Losing Money

Nancy J. Ham, president & CEO of MedVentive in Waltham, Mass., has more than 10 years experience preparing hospitals to launch ventures coordinating care with physicians and other providers. Lately much of her time is taken up with helping hospitals start accountable care organizations and similar ventures. Speaking at the National Accountable Care Organization Congress in Los Angeles, she offered eight specific ways to launch and run an ACO without losing money.

1. Squeeze funds out of your existing budget. An ACO takes a great deal of investment to get started, but there are ways to keep from borrowing all of it. "You can find lots of money in internal operations," Ms. Ham says. In one project she was involved in, the organization freed up $1 million by using existing funds in its budget. "You can find money just by focusing on your own shop," she says.
http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/8-specific-ways-to-launch-an-aco-without-losing-money.html

QCMS Creates Largest Accountable Care Organization

The Medical Society of the County of Queens has announced that it is creating one of the largest Physician Accountable Care Organizations (“ACO”) in New York. The ACO, with nearly 700 physician members, will be owned, comprised of and managed by physicians based in Queens. Authorized under the recent Federal healthcare reform legislation, the ACO will ultimately provide better and more efficient care to patients at a reduced cost.

http://www.qgazette.com/news/2010-10-27/Features/QCMS_Creates_Largest_Accountable_Care_Organization.html