title: Can the Accountable Care Organization model facilitate integrated care in England?
abstract: Following the global economic recession, health care systems have experienced intense political pressure to contain costs without compromising quality. One response is to focus on improving the continuity and coordination of care, which is seen as beneficial for both patients and providers. However, cultural and structural barriers have proved difficult to overcome in the quest to provide integrated care for entire populations. By holding groups of providers responsible for the health outcomes of a designated population, in the United States, Accountable Care Organizations are regarded as having the potential to foster collaboration across the continuum of care. They could have a similar role in England's National Health Service. However, it is important to consider the difference in context before implementing a similar model, adapted to suit the system's strengths. Working together, general practice federations and the Academic Health Science Networks could form the basis of accountable care in England.
authors.affiliation: Master of Public Health, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK Medical student, Guy's King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, King's College London, UK faheem.ahmed@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Faheem
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Professor of Health Policy, Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mays
authors.affiliation: Clinical Associate, Health Innovation Network, South London Academic Health Sciences Network, London, UK.
authors.forename: Naeem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bisognano
authors.affiliation: Previously President and CEO, Partners HealthCare; Currently CEO, Partners in Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
mesh_terms: D060866:Accountable Care Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004739:England; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational
keywords: Accountable Care Organizations; health reforms; integrated care