The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gave the local Southwestern Health Resources Accountable Care Network a quality score of 100 percent after saving $30 million in 2017. The savings made it the top organization in CMS’ Next Generation Accountable Care Organization model.
All 44 ACOs participating in CMS’ most high-risk model saved around $208 million in gross savings according to data from CMS. SHR is a joint effort from Texas Health Resources and UT Southwestern Medical Center whose network includes 30 hospitals and 4,000 physicians.
The accountable care network manages nearly 69,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the region, and as CMS sets spending targets, it allows providers to coordinate with patients to keep quality high while avoiding more expensive care. By strategically coordinating providers with patients, it can save money and maintain quality care. Between 2014 and 2016, the network saved $73 million while remaining in the 95th percentile in terms of quality nationwide.
“The delivery of tens of millions of dollars in savings while maintaining top-tier quality care for Medicare beneficiaries speaks to the thoughtful strategies our network has consistently initiated and widely embraced to improve efficiency in the delivery of care,” said Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, president of UT Southwestern, via release. Podolsky co-chairs Southwestern Health Resources with Barclay Berdan, CEO of Texas Health Resources.
“These successful results reveal the advantages that a clinically integrated network of hospitals and doctors offers to patients and physicians,” said Berdan via release. “The strategies and insights developed with this population of Medicare beneficiaries help us deliver similar benefit to our broader Southwestern Health Resources network, multiplying the advantages of this valuable program far beyond the Medicare population.”
“The results of Medicare ACOs are on the cutting edge, making the health care system more effective,” said Dr. Shawn Parsley, president and chief operating officer of Texas Health Physicians Group via release. “Our successful results reveal the advantages a clinically integrated network of hospitals and doctors offers to patients and physicians,”
