Bringing Accountable Care to the Safety Net: A New Case Study
<p>Within two years of embarking on its quest to establish an accountable care organization, the Cambridge Health Alliance, a large public safety-net health system in Massachusetts, was already well on its way to transforming health care delivery for the vulnerable populations it serves. Six of its primary care sites had garnered National Committee for Quality Assurance recognition as patient-centered medical homes, quality of care had improved, and service utilization in one of its managed care organizations was trending downward.</p><p>In a <a href="/publications/case-study/2014/jun/accountable-care-safety-net-case-study-cambridge-health-alliance">new Commonwealth Fund case study</a>, Karen Hacker, Robert Mechanic, and Palmira Santos describe the steps taken by Cambridge Health Alliance in a bid to continue its care mission and remain financially solvent following passage of Massachusetts’ game-changing health care reform law. The case study explores the organization’s four major strategies: establishing medical homes, entering alternative payment arrangements with managed care organizations, launching a care management program for complex patients, and establishing a partnership with a tertiary care institution.</p>
<p>The case study also examines the market, policy, and organizational factors that will be key in determining this safety-net provider’s chances of long-term success. </p>
<p>Read more on <a href="/publications/case-study/2014/jun/accountable-care-safety-net-case-study-cambridge-health-alliance">commonwealthfund.org</a>. </p>