Dr Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Discusses Lessons Learned From ACOs

Accountable care organizations all over the country have shown that no single method can work for every system, said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA, outgoing president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Transcript (slightly modified)

After watching ACOs for more than 5 years, what has the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation learned about how these new delivery models benefit healthcare quality and value?

Well, over the last few years as many observers have watched accountable care organizations grow and evolve, I think there are a few things that are pretty clear. The first is that there’s no one method that’s going to work. There’s a lot of different approaches that are being tried in different regions, and with great effect. For example, in Oregon, they’ve taken an approach of really basing it in a home care model and looking at how organizations can coordinate care.

In another part of the country, in the Midwest, in Minneapolis and Hennepin County, they’ve been able to show that by doing a risk assessment and understanding the social and economic needs of their patient population, they could add to the traditional healthcare services those resources that patients need. So for example if a person needs housing, they can bring that in, in a way that actually ensures that all of the needs, not just those that are typically delivered within the healthcare system, are met, and patients can stay healthier.