Accountable Care Solution Center

The Accountable Care Solution Center (ACSC) provides services to support physician practices looking to engage in Accountable Care Organizations, accountable care delivery and new payment models.  The ACSC leverages the expertise of the Society with industry experts to provide tools, resources, "how to" guides and consulting services geared toward accountable care.

Getting Started

• Physician Practice Resource Center
  The Physician Practice Resource Center can conduct a variety of consulting projects for individual physicians or group practices.
• MMS Guide to Accountable Care Organizations: What Physicians Need to Know
  Detailed guidance on the issues that physicians should consider whether they are currently participating in an accountable care organization, forming or joining an ACO, or entering into an integration agreement with another health care organization.
  
• Clinical and Financial Integration of Physician Practices
  Three video clips from a seminar on what physicians need to know today as they consider aligning themselves clinically and financially with other practices and larger health care systems. 
  
• ACOs and ACO Programs
  A list of the Medicare-approved federal accountable care organizations in Massachusetts.
  

Resources for Practices

• Massachusetts Health Care Delivery System Roadmap
  An overview of hospital systems, large physician groups and health plans currently operating in Massachusetts. (.pdf, 6 pages)
• Large Physician Groups in Massachusetts
  Map and listing of physician groups in Massachusetts with 100 or more physicians. (.pdf, 2 pages)
• ACO Governance Models: Key Findings & Best Practices
  The results of MMS interviews with the leaders of seven ACOs to determine best practices for ACO governance.
  
• A Path to Accountable Care Organizations: How Do We Get There from Here?
  One page summaries of an MMS symposium on accountable care organizations that featured five speakers addressing the key considerations for ACO formation and operations.
• Medicare ACOs: Regulations and Guidelines 
  News and resources regarding the federal government's Medicare ACO Shared Savings Program. Includes guidance from the FTC and DOJ about ACO anti-trust issues. 
• Risk Adjustment for Accountable Care Organizations
  • Applications in Global Payments to Providers
  • Important Considerations for Global Payments to Providers
  • Checklist for Physicians Entering Into Risk-Based Global Payment Contracts
• Global Payments: How They Did It, and What Works
  Three physician executives in Massachusetts discuss how practices can succeed under a global payment system. Perspectives from the Mount Auburn-Cambridge IPA, Atrius Health, and the Beth Israel Deaconess Physician Organization. (Series of three videos)
• Towards a Shared Vision of Payment Reform
  Slides, summaries and video excerpts from MMS conference on ACOs in theory and practice.
• Global Payments and Accountable Care Organizations
  Overview of global payments and accountable care organizations, and outlines the issues physicians must consider when either establishing or joining an accountable care organization.
• Common Elements of Health Systems Using Global Payments and Episodic Payment Models
  The experience of several health care systems around the country that have incorporated global, as well as episodic, payment models.
• Towards Effective Health Care Systems
  The main elements of effective health care systems in the US, and the challenges implementing them.