LTC & Senior Living Best Practices & Insights Blog | OnShift

ACOs in the Spotlight: Senior Care and ACOs

Written by Marti Bowman | Jun 11, 2011 7:03:00 PM

ACOs took center stage this week at the second annual National Accountable Care Organization Summit. AHCA President Mark Parkinson was a keynote speaker, talking about the role of long-term and post-acute care providers in an ACO future.

ACOs are set to dramatically transform healthcare as we know it today. Few would complain about its focus on delivering the highest quality care at the lowest cost, but how to get there is a different issue.What are you doing to prepare for an ACO future?

One starting point to consider is to evaluate your staffing strategies. Is your approach to staffing and labor management leading to real efficiencies at low costs? Look for areas of improvement to take a step toward operating a better business offering great care. Consider new or alternative staffing models or think about introducing nurse scheduling systems to help drive better outcomes.

Take the time to figure out what ACO’s mean to you. The role of long-term care providers can be significant, gaining a seat at the ACO table as important partners in coordinated care delivery.