Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Readiness Assessment

Beginning in 2012 Medicare will provide financial incentives to organizations that agree to manage the care for defined populations and be at risk for clinical quality and cost control.  It is only reasonable that commercial payers will follow this lead as a means of stabilizing insurance premiums for covered groups.  Healthcare delivery systems will need to assemble the resources needed to respond to this challenge.  These include:

• an adequate primary care physician base and the specialists needed to manage a patient population of at least 5,000.
• a clinical data system that integrates patient records across both hospital and physician care and is able to assemble cost data at the case level.
• the ability to receive and distribute revenue associated with the care provided.
• a physician compensation program that is flexible enough to accommodate both fee-for-service and “shared savings” care.

Coker is uniquely qualified to assist organizations in determining their readiness for the ACO model.  Our experience in hospital/physician alignment strategies, data system analysis and implementation, revenue cycle management, and physician compensation plan design provides clients with a single source answer to a readiness assessment.

Once you know where you are we can help develop a comprehensive plan to get where you need to be to succeed in the changing economic environment.  Organizations that want to thrive in the future need to start now to build a platform for ACO development, Coker can help.  Our multidisciplinary team of seasoned professionals includes hospital and physician practice management executives, reimbursement specialists, data system analysts, and clinician thought leaders.

ACO Readiness Engagement Structure
From Medical Practice to Medical Home to Accountable Care Organization: Opportunity or Threat?

For more information on steps your organization can take to evaluate your readiness, please contact Coker Group at 800-345-5829, ext. 2021.