Profiles in Innovation
<p>The new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, created by the Affordable Care Act, is fostering innovation in health care delivery to achieve the "Triple Aim"—improving population health, improving patients' care experiences, and lowering health care costs. </p>
<p>The new issue of <em>Health Affairs</em> takes a detailed look at health care systems that have already launched care delivery innovations. Supported in part by The Commonwealth Fund, the 15 <a href="/publications/publication/2011/mar/profiles-innovation">innovation profiles</a> describe how a wide variety of organizations—ranging from health care systems to health plans—are working to overcome multiple challenges in pursuit of the Triple Aim. </p>
<p>As demonstrated by the impressive results achieved by many of these innovators, real change is possible despite the constraints of fragmented delivery systems and flawed payment structures. They also point to what more could be accomplished if such constraints were lifted.<br /></p>