Health Information Technology and Accountable Care Organizations: A Systematic Review and Future Directions

Background: Since the inception of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), many have acknowledged the potential synergy between ACOs and health information technology (IT) in meeting quality and cost goals. Objective: We conducted a systematic review of the literature in order to describe what research has been conducted at the intersection of health IT and ACOs and identify directions for future research. Methods: We identified empirical studies discussing the use of health IT via PubMed search with subsequent snowball reference review. The type of health IT, how health IT was included in the study, use of theory, population, and findings were extracted from each study. Results: Our search resulted in 32 studies describing the intersection of health IT and ACOs, mainly in the form of electronic health records and health information exchange. Studies were divided into three streams by purpose; those that considered health IT as a factor for ACO participation, health IT use by current ACOs, and ACO performance as a function of health IT capabilities. Although most studies found a positive association between health IT and ACO participation, studies that address the performance of ACOs in terms of their health IT capabilities show more mixed results. Conclusions: In order to better understand this emerging relationship between health IT and ACO performance, we propose future research should consider more quasi-experimental studies, the use of theory, and merging health, quality, cost, and health IT use data across ACO member organizations

Health Information Exchange Use in Primary Care

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)The United States has invested over $40 billion in digitizing the health care system, yet the anticipated gains in improved care coordination, quality, and cost savings remain largely unrealized. This is due in part to limited interoperability and low rates of health information exchange (HIE) use, which can support care coordination and improve provider decision-making. Primary care providers are central to the US health care delivery system and frequently function as care coordinators, yet capability and HIE use gaps among these providers limit the potential of these digital systems to achieve their intended goals. I study HIE use in the context of primary care to examine 1) factors associated with provider HIE use, 2) the extent and nature of team-based HIE use, and 3) differences in HIE system use patterns across discrete groups of system users. First, I use a national sample of primary care providers to analyze market and practice factors related to HIE use for patient referrals. Overall, I find that only 43% of primary care provider referrals used HIE. Furthermore, I find substantial variation in HIE use rates across electronic health record (EHR) vendors. Second, I use HIE system log data to understand the breadth and depth of HIE use among teams, a care model underpinning primary care delivery reform efforts. I find that although use of HIE systems remains low, in primary care settings it overwhelmingly takes place in a manner consistent with team-based care workflows. Furthermore, team-based use does not differ in breadth from single provider HIE use, but illustrates less depth before and after visits. Third, I apply cluster analysis to 16 HIE use measures representing 7 use attributes, and identify 5 discrete user groups. I then compare two of these user groups and find user-level variation in volume and efficiency of use, both of which have implications for HIE system design and usability improvements. Ultimately, these findings help to inform how HIE use can be increased and improved in primary care, moving the US health care system closer to realizing the coordination, quality, and cost savings made possible by a digitized delivery system

Accountable Care Organization Success Strategies: The Importance of System Changes

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are a new health care reform initiative that has been highlighted as one of the most important organizational structures that could lead to quality improvements and cost savings in the United States through shared savings. The inability of health care managers to successfully implement ACOs could result in financial losses, reduced patient access to health care, and poor patient outcomes. Grounded by von Bertanlaffy\u27s general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the system change strategies health care managers used to implement an ACO to meet ACO quality and cost standards. Health care managers from Arizona, New York, and Wisconsin who successfully implemented ACO system change strategies in their organizations comprised the population for this study. Data were collected through face-to-face semistructured interviews with 9 health care managers. Data were analyzed using methodological triangulation, thematic analysis, and Yin\u27s 5 analytic techniques to identify patterns and themes. Three main themes resulted from the data analysis and included leaders with system change strategies improved successful ACO implementation, leaders who implemented health information technology improved successful ACO implementation, and leaders with care management system change strategies improved successful ACO implementation. The application of the findings from this study may contribute to positive social change because health care managers may use these system change strategies to successfully implement ACOs to improve patient care and access and reduce the financial burden of health care costs throughout the United States