New Jersey to Focus on ACO Effort

New Jersey officials, health providers, and advocates all know it will be critical to improve the state's healthcare delivery through Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in order to reach its economically challenged communities. At a recent conference, Dr. Jeffrey Brenner, founder and executive director of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, said that the current models of healthcare delivery must change to be more successful. NJ Spotlight reports:

It will take a major effort by state officials, health providers and advocates to improve coordination and delivery of healthcare in some of the state’s most economically challenged communities, health leaders said yesterday.

But if that effort is successful, it could have implications for the entire country, according to participants in a conference attended by about 160 healthcare experts.

The conference focused on the launch of Medicaid accountable care organizations (ACOs) next year. In ACOs, healthcare providers are paid based on patient outcomes and their record of keeping costs down rather than for each service they provide.

“The service delivery models inside specialty care and primary care need to be completely and totally revamped,” said Dr. Jeffrey Brenner, founder and executive director of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers. “When we’re done, they won’t look anything like they do now.”

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