Check out a NJ Spotlight blog written by Lilo Stainton, “Bill Would Expand “Accountable” HealthCare in New Jersey”. I believe this is a great example of how an Accountable Care Organization’s (ACO) could even out the playing field for all financial demographics.
The post talks about how an uninsured woman“Betty” with over 400-plus visits to a Trenton area hospitals during 2010 and battling health issues and drug addiction, was able to get back on her feet again. Thanks to the help of a group of doctors in a NJ ACO, Betty is much healthier today.
In her blog, Stainton wrote “she’s been off the streets for six months; she’s struggling to stay clean; and she has only visited the emergency room a handful of times this year. Thanks to a coalition of doctors, nurses and specialists that make up the Trenton Health Team, Betty and others like her have seen real improvements in their health. And if early indicators hold true, the bill for their treatment could be cut nearly in half”.
I always under stood how the ACO model could work in terms of streamlining services and costs savings. But for me, this example shows how an uninsured woman was able to gain access to a team of doctors focused on healing her personal and health issues. Whether or not this is an exception to the rule is something we should study more as the ACO debate rolls on.
As stated “The ACO model — which plays a prominent role in the federal health care reform effort now being developed — is centered on improving treatment of chronic conditions, like diabetes and high blood pressure, reducing emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and coordinating patient care among all providers in a geographic region, like Camden or Trenton. It is technology-dependent, requiring good healthcare data to identify the patients and communities most in need, as well as electronic patient records immediately accessible to all doctors and hospitals treating a patient.”
The article goes on to answer many questions and providing educating facts on ACO’s. You can read more by clicking here “Bill Would Expand “Accountable” HealthCare in New Jersey”
What are your thoughts is this the future healthcare?
