Survey: Physician alignment for ACOs needs re-tooling
Physician alignment—intertwining the interests of physicians and hospitals—is the biggest obstacle to forming accountable care organizations (ACOs), according to a survey from AMN Healthcare Services, a healthcare staffing company.
AMN Healthcare surveyed hospital executives and physicians about their participation in ACOs, and whether or not ACOs will deliver significant cost and quality benefits.
Fifty-eight percent of the 882 administrators and physicians responding to the survey indicated their facilities are either in the process of forming ACOs or are considering doing so, while 42 percent said their facilities will not form ACOs in the foreseeable future, the San Diego-based company stated.
Of those whose organizations are moving toward ACOs, 42 percent said physician alignment is the most serious obstacle to their efforts, followed by lack of capital (38 percent), lack of integrated IT systems (31 percent) and lack of evidence-based treatment protocol data (25 percent).
Of those who are not moving toward ACOs, 40 percent cited physician alignment as a primary reason, followed by lack of capital (31 percent), lack of integrated IT systems (26 percent) and lack of evidence-based treatment protocol data (23 percent).
Fifty-nine percent of those surveyed either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that ACOs will deliver benefits and that they are a key to enhancing quality and reducing costs. However, 41 percent of respondents strongly disagreed or somewhat disagreed with that statement, the survey concluded.
AMN Healthcare surveyed hospital executives and physicians about their participation in ACOs, and whether or not ACOs will deliver significant cost and quality benefits.
Fifty-eight percent of the 882 administrators and physicians responding to the survey indicated their facilities are either in the process of forming ACOs or are considering doing so, while 42 percent said their facilities will not form ACOs in the foreseeable future, the San Diego-based company stated.
Of those whose organizations are moving toward ACOs, 42 percent said physician alignment is the most serious obstacle to their efforts, followed by lack of capital (38 percent), lack of integrated IT systems (31 percent) and lack of evidence-based treatment protocol data (25 percent).
Of those who are not moving toward ACOs, 40 percent cited physician alignment as a primary reason, followed by lack of capital (31 percent), lack of integrated IT systems (26 percent) and lack of evidence-based treatment protocol data (23 percent).
Fifty-nine percent of those surveyed either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that ACOs will deliver benefits and that they are a key to enhancing quality and reducing costs. However, 41 percent of respondents strongly disagreed or somewhat disagreed with that statement, the survey concluded.