Brian Powers, BA

Accountable care is forcing providers to develop new capacities and strategies for managing cost and quality trends. Prospectively managing the health of populations requires shifting the focus of care delivery from episodic interventions to continuous population management. As a result, accountable care organizations (ACOs) are dedicating considerable focus to developing the infrastructure and tools needed to help patients manage their chronic conditions. This is a significant departure from traditional care-delivery models and will require provider organizations to develop new partnerships and embrace new methods.

Improving attention paid to patient preferences when matching patients and physicians on the basis of value and quality rather than costs and outcomes can help a patient achieve the overall healthcare experience.

Merck and the Heritage Provider Network forge a new kind of relationship, with the goals of spawning innovation in healthcare delivery and of providing an outline for future collaborations between ACOs and other healthcare stakeholders.