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Healthcare in America is fragmented. Providers fail to communicate with each other; vulnerable patients have to coordinate their own care between specialists, often receiving repetitive tests or conflicting treatments from different providers. Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) exist to solve this problem. For this month’s entry in my Care Made Clear series, I will explore ACO REACH, one iteration of the ACO model, explaining what it is and how it’s driving innovation in healthcare. Originally named the Global Professional Direct Contract Entity (GPDC) at its inception in 2021, the program was revamped by CMMI in 2023 and renamed ACO Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (REACH). ACO REACH exists to help providers collaborate in a value-based system navigating total cost of care. By breaking down traditional barriers, ACOs offer an opportunity to experience coordinated, collaborative care, which can lead to better health outcomes and better patient experience while reducing excess cost. ACO REACH is also committed to health equity. To that end, the model requires all participating ACOs to detail their strategy for addressing health disparities and meeting the needs of underserved communities. As one of the original six high-needs DCEs under the original model that later transitioned to ACO REACH, CareNu's ASSURITY DCE exists to expand access to quality healthcare to a greater number of individuals, especially those facing advancing age, complex medical conditions and end-of-life challenges. Our results with underserved populations have been transformative. To date, we’ve achieved a 53% decrease in emergency room visits, a 61% decrease in unnecessary hospitalizations, 43% increase in net savings, and in Q1 of 2024, a 35% decrease in the social risk scores for our patients. ASSURITY DCE has also achieved decreases in social risk factors, like poverty, food insecurity and limited access to care. Our commitment to population health and predictive analytics has allowed us to act proactively and reach patients earlier. It’s also helped us bring together the often-fragmented spheres of healthcare into one cohesive system. ACO REACH represents a significant step forward in creating a more integrated and equitable healthcare system. And within ACO REACH, high-needs offerings like CareNu’s ASSURITY DCE have performed especially well. As a recent study reports, the high-needs category was the most effective ACO REACH segment in the second year of the program. CareNu and its high-needs peers are leading the way to improved patient outcomes and a more efficient use of resources across the industry. #CareNuCares #CareNuIsNow #CareMadeClear #ACOREACH #CMMI #NORC

Thank you TITAN 100 for recognizing me as a 2024 Tampa Titan 100 honoree. This award reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire CareNu team. Together, we are committed to transforming the American healthcare system and advocating for the needs of our patients. As part of this mission, I will continue to challenge myself to evaluate new strategies for driving positive change and improving health outcomes. Congratulations to all the fellow honorees. Your achievements inspire me to keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. #Titan100 #CareNuCares #CareNuIsNow #TampaTitan

Success is a way of living. It’s so much more than a concrete goal that you chase. Success comes when an individual is firm in what they stand for, and is measured by their ability to be true to who they are, and use their talents to improve the world. It’s so much more than a paycheck or a title. Being able to give back to my family and my community –– that is success to me. I’m honored to have been profiled by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as a 2024 Business Woman of the Year winner. Watch this video to learn more about how I define success. #CareNuCares #CareNuIsNow #TBBJ

During today's House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing, "Checking-In on CMMI: Assessing the Transition to Value-Based Care," Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers's opening remarks highlighted the success of ACOs: “Looking at CMMI’s most recent work, I am glad you are continuing to build on the Accountable Care Organization model.     “While joining an ACO should not be the only pathway for providers to be able to participate in value-based care, these models are among the few that have actually managed to reduce overall spending and should not be abandoned." Testimony from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Dr. Liz Fowler highlights work the Center is doing to advance #valuebasedcare, support rural and safety net providers, and improve outcomes for #Medicare beneficiaries while controlling health care costs. Watch the hearing here: https://lnkd.in/eEJP2ej4 NAACOS, along with American Medical Association, America's Physician Groups, Health Care Transformation Task Force, and Premier Inc., shared comments in response to the hearing with recommendations to improve CMMI. Read the letter: https://lnkd.in/eCB5YZ9W

The healthcare system is moving to a value-based model by 2030. Are you ready for the change? After attending the recent 2024 value-based care learning conference, hosted by the CMS Innovation Center, I’m dedicating this month’s entry of CareMadeClear to an important element of value-based care: risk, and why providers should take it on. In the context of value-based care, taking on risk means that providers are accountable for both the quality and cost –– the total outcome –– of the care they deliver. Shifting from the traditional fee-for-service model to a value-based care approach requires a fundamental change. So why should providers do it? Risk in a value-based framework incentivizes providers to focus on outcomes rather than volume. By assuming risk, providers are encouraged to deliver more efficient, effective and patient-centered care. This not only enhances patient outcomes, making them happier and healthier, but also reduces unnecessary costs, improving the overall patient experience. Consider a healthcare provider managing a chronic condition like heart disease. Under a value-based model, the provider has a vested interest in keeping patients healthy and out of the hospital. Proactive measures can take a variety of forms: regular case management, high-touch interventions, patient and family support, follow-ups, lifestyle interventions and more. By taking on risk, providers can reap the rewards of improved patient health and cost savings, aligning their financial incentives with patient outcomes. And of course, it’s also better for patients when their providers have a vested interest in their long-term health. At CareNu, we support providers in this transition by offering the tools and resources they need to manage risk effectively. We walk side by side with providers as they gradually take on risk. Through predictive analytics, individualized patient care plans and robust support systems, we empower them to confidently embrace risk and reach better health outcomes for their patients. Risk isn’t something to be feared –– it's a catalyst for innovation and improvement in healthcare. By taking it on, providers can help create a more sustainable, patient-centered future. And at CareNu, we’re leading the charge. #CareNuCares #CareNuIsNow #ValueBasedCare #Risk