Whitney Palmer

Does the ACO Model Commoditize Radiologists?

Published on the Oct. 30, 2014, DiagnosticImaging.com website

By Whitney L.J. Howell

For U.S. healthcare, new payment models are no longer the catchphrases of the day. They’re also not yet realities. But that doesn’t mean health systems aren’t trying them on for size, searching for one that makes the biggest impact in controlling costs, and pumping up patient experiences.

The question is – what has this meant for radiology so far?

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are at the top of the new payment model list, but there’s no consensus about whether they’re fulfilling patient-satisfaction and cost-savings goals. In fact, out of the 32 original Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Pioneer ACOs from 2012 that opted to test this system design, only 19 remain active. The rest dropped out of the pilot, citing either too much financial risk or the inability to meet Medicare savings goals.

Read the article in its entirety at its original location: http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/practice-management/does-aco-model-commoditize-radiologists?GUID=EF943FEE-BD0C-44C7-A1BC-C82F32210979&XGUID=&rememberme=1&ts=31102014#sthash.6BldBTSs.dpuf

October 31, 2014 Posted by wjpalmer | Healthcare | accountable care organizations, ACO risks to radiology, ACOs, ACOs and clinical decision support systems, ACOs and risks, American College Radiology Department of Economics & Health Policy, Brigham and Women's Hospital radiology, call reporting radiology, concierge radiology, Erik A. Pedersen MD, Imaging 3.0 Initiative, John Lohnes Jr MD, Pam Kassing, Patricia Helke MD, Physician-Owned ACOs, Pioneer ACOs, radiologists uncertainty with ACOs, radiology and accountable care organizations, radiology and ACOs, Radiology Consultants, Steven Selzter MD, Thomas Lee MD, traveling interventional radiology, Wichita Radiological Groups | Leave a comment