March 5, 2012 - In this Commonwealth Fund-supported study, researchers synthesize the views of experts and stakeholders on what needs to be done to make physician report cards more useful and the challenges that must be overcome to improve them.
In the Literature
February 27, 2012 - The patient-centered medical home has been proposed as a model for transforming primary care and improving efficiency and effectiveness in the health care system. This report outlines and describes the changes that most medical practices would need to make to become patient-centered medical homes.
Fund Report
February 21, 2012 - This Commonwealth Fund–supported study investigated the common assumption that such online access can engage patients and encourage them to take active roles in their health and care.
In Brief
February 21, 2012 - This Commonwealth Fund–supported study sought to investigate the extent to which patient activation, as assessed by the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), is related to health and utilization outcomes among a large group of insured patients.
In Brief
February 21, 2012 - Overuse of health care services contributes to poor-quality care and drives up medical costs. In this Commonwealth Fund–supported study, researchers conducted a literature review to better understand the scope of overuse and spot trends over time.
In Brief
February 21, 2012 - In this Commonwealth Fund–supported study, researchers conducted a review of the professional literature to examine the relationship between geographic variations and overuse of health care services.
In Brief
January 23, 2012 - This Commonwealth Fund–supported study examined some of the steps necessary to incorporate the the INTERACT clinical transition tools into nursing homes' health information technology systems.
In Brief
January 20, 2012 - This Commonwealth Fund–supported study explores the equity concerns associated with wellness incentives, an increasingly popular way for employers to encourage participation in prevention programs, which can both improve workers' overall health and reduce costs.
In Brief
January 13, 2012 - Monarch HealthCare, a physician-led independent practice association in Orange County, Calif., is one of the provider groups participating in the Brookings–Dartmouth ACO Pilot Program to form accountable care organizations, which assume responsibility for improving patient care and lowering total costs and, in turn, share in the savings achieved.
Case Study
January 13, 2012 - This case study explores the characteristics of Norton and its partners, including the insurer Humana, that have contributed to the development of the ACO, including: a strong payer–provider relationship bolstered by a joint ACO implementation committee, a focus on performance measurement and reporting, an expanding heath information technology infrastructure, and an integrated system that facilitates communication and collaboration across the continuum of care.
Case Study
January 13, 2012 - This case study explores: the characteristics of HealthCare Partners and its partner organizations, including the insurer Anthem, that are contributing to the development of the ACO; the rationale behind the decision to develop an ACO; the steps taken to implement the model; milestones achieved; and lessons learned.
Case Study
January 13, 2012 - This case study explores the characteristics of Tucson Medical Center and its partners, including affiliated physician groups and the insurer United Healthcare, that have contributed to the development of their ACO, including: the medical center’s strong local governance, its institutional commitment to the ACO initiative, and its historical role as a community-based hospital.
Case Study
January 13, 2012 - This report synthesizes findings and lessons from case studies of four diverse health care organizations participating in the Brookings–Dartmouth ACO Pilot Program, launched in 2009 to support selected provider groups that are collaborating with private payers to form accountable care organizations (ACOs).
Case Study
January 9, 2012 - This Commonwealth Fund-supported study shows that the patient-centered medical home model may help improve provider and staff morale and job satisfaction.
In Brief
December 19, 2011 - The authors of this Commonwealth Fund–supported study identify the steps necessary to undertake a positive deviance study and then describe how this work led them to discover hospital strategies associated with lower mortality following acute myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
In Brief