Implementation of a pilot accountable care organization payment model and the use of discretionary and nondiscretionary cardiovascular care.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) seek to reduce growth in healthcare spending while ensuring high-quality care. We hypothesized that accountable care organization implementation would selectively limit the use of discretionary cardiovascular care (defined as care occurring in the absence of indications such as myocardial infarction or stroke), while maintaining high-quality care, such as nondiscretionary cardiovascular imaging and procedures.

Methods and results

The intervention group was composed of fee-for-service Medicare patients (n=819 779) from 10 groups participating in a Medicare pilot accountable care organization, the Physician Group Practice Demonstration (PGPD). Matched controls were patients (n=934 621) from nonparticipating groups in the same re

SUBMITTER: Colla CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4244758 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature