A startup company of member physician practices that cover retirees under the Medicare program is reporting strong growth in the early going.
In the first four months 2015, Aledade’s Delaware-based Accountable Care Organization (ACO has become one of the largest independent practices in the state, according to a release.
After launching on January 1 with 13 physician practices and 10,500 attributed Medicare patients, the Delaware Aledade ACO has already recruited an additional 11 practices and now covers 18,000 a Medicare patients this year. Quality Insights of Delaware will continue to act as Aledade’s partner in day-to-day operations of Aledade in Delaware.
Maryland-based Aledade, Inc. partners with independent doctors to create and run ACOs, defined as networks of physicians who band together to deliver coordinated care to patients. Physicians operate under a payment structure that rewards positive health outcomes for patients, instead of the volume of health care services delivered.
“Delaware and Quality Insights have been leaders in health care IT for over a decade, and the state has some of the most dedicated, community-based independent physicians in the country,” said Dr. Farzad Mostashari, CEO and co-founder of Aledade. “That’s why the state was a natural fit for us, and one of the first places we started. Our success so far – and the interest in our model since we launched on January 1 – speaks to a recognition that value-based health care is here to stay, and Delaware physicians are willing and eager to embrace changes taking place across the health care industry.”
In addition to expanding existing ACOs in New York, Delaware, Maryland, and Arkansas, Aledade recently announced partnerships to form additional organizations in West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas and Florida. In each of these states, Aledade will recruit independent primary care physicians to create a Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO, dedicated to delivering high-quality care, cost savings, and better health outcomes.
”We’re excited to be a part of Aledade’s growth and, most importantly, to continue assisting these practices who have demonstrated their commitment to patient-centered, data driven care,” John Wiesendanger, Quality Insights CEO said. “Together, we can continue to improve care quality and lower costs. That’s a win for everybody, especially for health care consumers in Delaware.”
Aledade also brings regulatory expertise to Delaware physician practices, ensuring all participating doctors meet necessary ACO and meaningful use standards.
Internally, the ACO will establish quality benchmarks and a governing board to develop and share best practices for patient outreach, engagement, and treatment.
Aledade CEO and co-founder Mostashari, is the former National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and has already established successful organizations in New York, Delaware, Maryland, and Arkansas.
