Practice Redesign
Practice redesign
The Family Physician’s ACO Blueprint for Success
Developed by AAFP, TAFP, and several other state chapters, this two-part guide helps family physicians develop their strategy to evaluate and implement a successful accountable care organization. Part One examines these new organizations and identifies essential elements, transcending specialty or facility to be applicable to all ACO stakeholders. Part Two applies the principles and processes of the guide specifically for the family physician.
> The Family Physician’s ACO Blueprint for Success
ACO Legal Primer
Mentioned in the Blueprint for Success as available upon request, the legal primer is now available to download. The information has been updated to include the guidance submitted by the federal regulators when the CMS-proposed ACO regulations were issued in April.
The Family Physician’s Practice Affiliation Guide
From the strategic perspective of a family physician, this guide explores the reasons driving the trends toward collaboration and affiliation, weighs the advantages and disadvantages of various affiliation options, and provides a detailed analysis of the hospital employment model. Carefully considering integration and following guideposts could assure a successful and sustainable partnership.
> The Family Physician’s Practice Affiliation Guide
Accountable care organizations and family medicine
In addition to the ACO resources listed above, vist AAFP’s Practice Affiliation Options webpage (members only), for more on the actions family physicians can take to thrive in today’s ACO climate.
> Practice Affiliation Options (members only)
Health system reformers hope the ACO is a game-changer. Are you ready to play?
This article pays particular attention to the potential impact of ACOs on solo and small-group family physicians.
> Read the cover story from Texas Family Physician, Vol. 62, No 1 | Winter 2011
ACO resources from the Commonwealth Fund
This resource page provides links to the Commonwealth Fund’s publications and blog posts on ACOs. The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation that supports independent research on health care issues and awards grants to improve health care practice and policy.
> Accountable Care Organizations: Commonwealth Fund Resources
ACO resources from Kaiser Health News
This resource page provides links to Kaiser Health News’ coverage of ACOs and to CMS fact sheets. KHN is a major program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-profit private operating foundation.
> Accountable Care Organization Proposed Regulations: Resources
Better to Best — Value-Driving Elements of the Patient Centered Medical Home and Accountable Care Organizations
This document—sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, and the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative—explores the connection between accountable care organizations and the patient-centered medical home in improving care and controlling costs through enhanced access, better care coordination, better use of health information technology, and coordinated payments.
AAFP’s FAQs on ACOs
Find answers to many of your ACO questions in AAFP’s ACO FAQ document. It includes questions about payment, shared savings, practice risk, and legal issues in an easy-to-read format.
TransforMED on ACOs
TransforMED, a subsidiary of AAFP working to advance the patient-centered medical home model, dispatches its experts to provide advice and hands-on medical home facilitation. They also have a webpage dedicated to ACOs and how their team can assist health care systems and primary care practices with ACO transformation. Also available is a free webinar, “Accountable Care Organizations and You: How ACOs Affect Your Practice.”
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
The Innovation Center is dedicated to educating health care stakeholders about the ACO model and ACO development. Explore the Innovation Center’s website to learn more about MSSP, the Pioneer ACO model, the Advance Payment Initiative, and the ACO Accelerated Development Learning Sessions.