What does an ACO nurse do?
An ACO is responsible for managing the health of its patient group and the costs associated with providing care. The 3.1 million nurses in the U.S. workforce are set to play integral roles in ACOs, helping to provide high-quality, patient-centered care while reducing costs.
How does ACO impacts health care providers?
As a result, patients in ACOs may experience increased focus on preventive care early and often. Additionally, by holding providers accountable for the safety, quality and appropriateness of the care they provide, ACOs are designed to help patients avoid unnecessary or duplicative tests and procedures.
What is the role of nurse practitioners in clinical settings?
NP practice includes, but is not limited to, assessment; ordering, performing, supervising and interpreting diagnostic and laboratory tests; making diagnoses; initiating and managing treatment including prescribing medication and non-pharmacologic treatments; coordinating care; counseling; and educating patients and …
What is the accountable care team model?
Accountable Care Organizations are groups of clinicians, hospitals and other health care providers who come together voluntarily to give coordinated high-quality care a designated group of patients. ACOs in turn receive part of any savings generated from care coordination as long as quality was also maintained.
What role does the ACA play in this physicians decision to be in an ACO?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) improves the health care delivery system through incentives to enhance quality, improve beneficiary outcomes and increase value of care. For ACO purposes, “assigned” means those beneficiaries for whom the professionals in the ACO provide the bulk of primary care services.
What are the benefits of an ACO?
Benefits
- Improved population health. One fundamental goal of ACOs is that they will improve the health and wellness of a defined population for which the ACO is accountable.
- Improved patient quality of care.
- A focus on the patient.
- Physician leadership.
- Lower costs.
- Shared savings.
Is a NP as good as a doctor?
In certain circumstances, you might be better off seeing an NP or PA. In one study, the patients who saw NPs in an outpatient clinic said they were more satisfied compared to those seeing physicians, perhaps in part because their visits with NPs were usually longer. NPs also tend to have more of a focus on education.
Why do we need advanced nurse practitioners?
The role of Advanced Nurse Practitioner is invaluable. It provides opportunity for patients to receive timely care and negate unnecessarily delay in receiving treatment, especially with the growing shortage of GPs in primary care.
Why would a physician join an ACO?
ACOs can provide opportunities for physicians and practices to operate more efficiently and share in health care cost savings, while saving patients time, money and effort on unnecessary visits and medical procedures. If you decide to join an ACO, make sure you carefully weigh the potential risks and rewards first.
What are the disadvantages of an ACO?
Cons. Limited choice: With so many healthcare providers joining ACOs, some patients will have trouble finding doctors outside of a specific group. The shortage of options could lead to higher patient costs. Referral restrictions: ACOs provide doctors incentives to refer to specialists within the group.
