An ACO ‘Deck-o-Topia’ at HiMSS14

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH This is the fourth year in  row that I have participated in the largest annual gathering of parties in interest to the health informatics ecosystem. From payor to provider to regulator to vendor to the patient and/or consumer of healthcare services, there is always much flare to consider, discard or assimilate.  …

It’s All About the Network

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH 2014 has kicked off to a challenging pace and doesn’t look to let up any time soon! Over at Health Innovation Media where we follow health innovation from ‘idea to business model’ including accountable care platforms, ‘apps’ or infrastructure plays,  Dr. Pat Salber, CEO of early mover in the ‘rewards …

The Accountable Primary Care ACO

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH At the recently concluded 4th Annual Accountable Care Organization Congress held in Los Angeles one of the sessions I attended was offered by Tom Doerr, MD, Director of Innovation Research, and Deborah W. Robin, MD, MHCM, Medical Director, of Lumeris respectively, titled “New Hope for Primary Care: The Accountable Primary …

The Merck Heritage Provider Network Innovation Challenge Posts a $240,000 Purse

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH I received the following heads-up via email from former Senior Adviser to CTO Todd Park, now Health IT & Data Partnerships, Business Development, and Strategy at @Merck Aman Bhandari aka @GHIdeas on Sunday morning and wanted to make the challenge known to the innovation community especially those in hacking away at …

ACO’s as Sinkhole Medicine? Nah…

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH As the battle for the accountable care narrative grinds on both in the media and the respective P&Ls of participant ACOs, a recent article in Healthcare Finance News titled: Accountable care organizations: cost-effective solutions or financial sinkholes? is noteworthy.  At first I chuckled, then thought, more headline ‘eye porn’ or is …

The ACO Innovation Summit

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH One of the few ACO gatherings I’ve missed since the birth of the industry (and there have been quite a few since there are ‘experts’ everywhere), but the line-up NEHI put together is well worth a look. Both Steven Shortell and Molly Coye are definitely change agents on the front …

‘Pioneers Take Arrows While Settlers’ Get the Land?’

At the ACO Summit in Washington DC in June 2012 Elliott Fisher, MD arguably one of the admitted father’s of the ACO movement opined perhaps prophetically from a panel including Mark McClellan, MD and former Health Affairs Editor, now RWJF Senior Health Policy Advisor Susan Dentzer the above wisdom. Today, CMS via the Center for Medicare …

4th National ACO Summit Day 2

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH Day two for me started in Track 6: Engaging Patients in their Medical Care, titled ‘Patient Engagement in Healthcare Decision Making‘ breakout session moderated by Shannon Brownlee (@ShannonBrownlee), Senior Vice President, Lown Institute; Former Acting Director Health Policy Program, The New America Foundation; Author, Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine is Making …

Day 2 4th National ACO Summit

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH Year four for the annual DC gathering of the best and brightest minds in the ACO space, convened yesterday in pre-conference sessions at the Hyatt Regency, DC. Day 2 kicks off with a keynote by Senator Ron Wyden @RonWyden, followed by a power packed tour de force of ACO operatives: …

The 4th National ACO Summit

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH Following two days of the Bundled Payment and Healthcare Innovation Summits, Wednesday June 11th kicks off the pre-conference sessions for the 4th National ACO Summit. The program is packed with health policy wonks, clinicians on the leading if not bleeding edge of the movement, as well as consultants, lawyers and …