A Whole New World: Get Prepared for Accountable Care

It’s critical for today’s post-acute care providers to position themselves for success in an accountable care network – what many are calling the “future of care.” With this shift in care, providers will be held more accountable for outcomes.

Get prepared. In order to position yourself as a top-tier partner, you will need to make investments in technology to prove to hospitals, physicians, and other partners in the continuum of care that you can consistently deliver high quality outcomes.

In a recent McKnight’s webinar, Dave Zaletel, Senior Operations Consultant, Post-Acute Development Strategist and Former CEO of Lexington Health Network, stated, “You have to demonstrate to them that you understand what accountable care is, and you need to do that before they ask.” To do this, analyze core processes and consider the use of technology to drive efficiencies, save costs, and improve quality of care. Focus on areas that demonstrate the results your network partners require – including staffing and scheduling, medical records, and care management.

With the transition to ACOs comes a new culture of accountability and transparency. According to Zaletel, “The best way to prove you’re top-tier is to share your data and prove that you can generate consistent outcomes and prevent unnecessary readmissions. Demonstrate and share your experiences and successes, and be transparent.”

Technologies like OnShift’s staff scheduling and labor management software allow you to proactively manage your most important resource, your staff. This enables you to deliver more consistent care by mitigating issues before they happen. This information can also be used to demonstrate what steps your organization takes to ensure that the right staff is at the right place, at the right time. This ultimately will help to produce more consistent, positive outcomes. By taking this transparent approach you will build a level of confidence within your network which will quickly propel your organization to becoming a top-tier partner.

If you’re interested in learning more about preparing for this new world of ACOs, check out our whitepaper, Accountable Care Networks: 5 Steps to Get In and Stay In.