AMGA reports success in first two regional meetings on ACOs

The American Medical Group Association announced that the first two meetings in a series of regional meetings focused on accountable care organizations (ACOs) were unqualified successes, drawing healthcare leaders together to network in an intimate setting and to learn from leading medical groups and organized systems of care that are exemplars of the ACO model. AMGA and its members developed the ACO model based on the experiences of its members in the CMS Physician Group Practice Demonstration and the practice patterns of high-performing health care organizations.

"We're pleased that these meetings have struck a chord with healthcare leaders who see the patient care benefits of the ACO model," said Donald Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, President and CEO. "Our members have and will continue to be the unquestioned leaders in the ACO movement. AMGA is uniquely positioned to provide a framework for this necessary evolution in delivery system change. AMGA members are the leading high-performing, healthcare delivery systems in the nation and their experiences will inform and enlighten other organizations as they embark on their own journey."

AMGA has been a longtime leader in reform efforts that foster the creation of community-based entities accountable for comprehensive healthcare services-referred to as ACOs-that promote accountability and build on the practice patterns of high-performing organizations. It provided guidance to congressional leaders on the appropriate language regarding ACOs and lobbied aggressively for its inclusion. As part of its continuing efforts, the association is hosting a series of meetings in 2010 that bring together the leaders of healthcare delivery systems to educate medical group leaders on how to develop, operate, and maintain high-performing ACOs. The meetings focus on physician-led, patient-centered ACOs and go beyond the theoretical by bringing together actual case studies presented by the medical group leaders with firsthand experience in providing accountable care to their patients. They will culminate in the fall at AMGA's Institute for Quality Leadership, subtitled the "AMGA National Summit on ACOs."

The first meetings in the series took place in California and North Carolina on April 22-23.

The meeting in Oakland, California featured presentations from Geisinger Health System, Sutter Medical Foundation, Brown & Toland Physicians, and Advocate Health System. Groups in attendance at the California meeting included Alta Bates Medical Group, Bright Health Physicians of PIH, Center for Health Care Medical Associates, Children First Medical Group, Children's Physicians Medical Group, Children's Primary Care Medical Group, City of Hope Medical Group, Empire Physicians Medical Group, Geisinger Health System, Huntington Medical Foundation, John Muir Physician Network, Loma Linda University Health Care, Marin IPA, Memorial HealthCare IPA, Mercy Medical Group, Mills-Peninsula Medical Group, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Santa Clara County IPA, Sharp Community Medical Group, Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group, Southwest Medical Associates, Sutter Gould Foundation, Sutter Independent Physicians, Sutter Medical Foundation, Sutter Medical Group, Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, Visalia Clinic, and Woodland Healthcare. The meeting was supported by Abbott Laboratories and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals.

The meeting hosted by Cornerstone Health Care in High Point, North Carolina featured presentations from Cornerstone Health Care, Forsyth Medical Group, and Wilmington Health. Groups in attendance at the North Carolina meeting included Anchor Health Centers, Boice-Willis Clinic, Carolinas Physicians Network, Centra Health Professional Services, Eagle Physicians & Associates, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Gateway Health Alliance, High Point Regional Health System, Holston Medical Group, Lakeview Medical Center, LeBauer HealthCare/Moses Cone Health System, Mission Hospital, Physician Services Division, Novant Medical Group, Physician Associates, Piedmont HealthCare, Pinehurst Medical Clinic, Randolph Hospital, Self Medical Group, Summit Medical Group, University Health Care System/University Physicians Associates, University Health Link, and UT Medical Group, Inc. The meeting was supported by Abbott Laboratories and Phytel.

Future meetings in the series are listed below. For more information, visit www.amga.org. Please note that, due to space limitations, participation is limited to provider organizations (i.e., medical groups, integrated delivery systems, PHOs, hospitals, etc.) and the industry partner organization(s) sponsoring that particular meeting.

•Midwest Region: Ohio
May 6-7, 2010
Hosted by the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
•Southern Region: Texas
May 13-14, 2010
Hosted by Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Houston, TX
•Northwest Region: Washington
June 4, 2010
Hosted by Group Health Permanente, Seattle, WA
•Rocky Mountain Region: Utah
June 17-18, 2010
Hosted by Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City, UT
•Northeast Region: New Jersey
June 24-25, 2010
Hosted by Summit Medical Group, Berkeley Heights, NJ
•Institute for Quality Leadership 2010: AMGA National Summit on ACOs
September 28-October 1, 2010
Westin Diplomat, Hollywood, FL

In addition to the regional meetings and the national summit, AMGA is convening two collaboratives focused on ACO development: a Development Collaborative and an Implementation Collaborative. The collaboratives will offer access to content experts and provide a forum in which peer organizations can learn from one another as they begin to build and refine business and care processes to develop high-quality, efficient, and sustainable systems of care that provide high-value care to their patients and communities.

SOURCE American Medical Group Association

www.amga.org