title: The era of accountable care. Industry experts weigh-in on the status of ACOs.
abstract: The guiding principle behind accountable care organizations (ACOs) is a simple one: Coordinate health services to maximize efficiency and facilitate better patient outcomes. Providers would be paid for the results they produce, not simply for the care they provide. Over the years, these coordinating groups of practices have gone by many names, but it wasn't until the reforms of the Affordable Care Act that ACOs began to take their present form, focusing on meeting new patient satisfaction benchmarks and reducing the financial burden caused by patients receiving unnecessary services. While the hype for ACOs promised better care quality and increased revenue, the reality of ACO launches has seen mixed results. Health Management Technology asks two industry experts for their views on the present and future of the accountable care model, now that ACOs have become a reality.
authors: Keegan
authors: K
authors: Bailey
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Merrill
authors: Chad Michael
authors: CM
authors: Van Alstin
mesh_terms: D060866:Accountable Care Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration; D003363:Cost Control; D033161:Government Regulation; D017146:Models, Organizational; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D014481:United States