title: Disruptive innovation in academic medical centers: balancing accountable and academic care.
abstract: Numerous academic medicine leaders have argued that academic referral centers must prepare for the growing importance of accountability-driven payment models by adopting population health initiatives. Although this shift has merit, execution of this strategy will prove significantly more problematic than most observers have appreciated. The authors describe how successful implementation of an accountable care health strategy within a referral academic medical center (AMC) requires navigating a critical tension: The academic referral business model, driven by tertiary-level care, is fundamentally in conflict with population health. Referral AMCs that create successful value-driven population health systems within their organizations will in effect disrupt their own existing tertiary care businesses. The theory of disruptive innovation suggests that balancing the push and pull of academic and accountable care within a single organization is achievable. However, it will require significant shifts in resource allocation and changes in management structure to enable AMCs to make the inherent difficult choices and trade-offs that will ensue. On the basis of the theories of disruptive innovation, the authors present recommendations for how academic health systems can successfully navigate these issues as they transition toward accountability-driven care.
authors.affiliation: D. Stein is director, Medical and Clinical Services, Walmart, Bentonville, Arkansas. C. Chen is a resident physician, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. D.C. Ackerly is associate medical director, Population Health and Continuing Care, Partners HealthCare, and instructor in medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D Clay
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ackerly
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D012941:Social Responsibility