Now in its tenth year of existence, Orlando Health Network’s accountable care organization achieved success once more by saving the federal government’s Medicare Shared Savings Program and other commercial insurers approximately $19.5 million in healthcare costs through meeting quality and cost goals in 2020. The ACO has saved over $153 million since it began.
“Our results prove that collaboration and information sharing between our providers yield better outcomes,” said Erik Walker, MD, board chairman, Orlando Health Network. “The accountable care organization further advances our ability to make a positive impact on the health of each and every person we serve within the community, particularly in today’s dynamic healthcare environment.”
ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers, who come together to provide coordinated high-quality care to their Medicare patients, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Savings. This is done to ensure that patients get the right care at the right time, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors.
Although Orlando Health launched the first hospital-led MSSP ACO in the state of Florida back in 2013, the network has evolved from a primary-care-focused collaborative partnership to become one of the largest clinically integrated networks nationally. It now boasts more than 5,500 multispecialty providers, a robust and expanding ambulatory footprint, and 16 wholly owned hospitals and emergency departments.
Additionally, the network expanded its value-based care partnerships with commercial payers including Aetna, Cigna, Florida Blue, and United Healthcare, and now cares for nearly 300,000 patients across Central Florida. Through these various value-based arrangements with its payer partners, the network covers roughly one in seven Greater Orlando residents.
Dr. George Ralls, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Orlando Health, underscored the importance of the latest results in helping to advance the healthcare system’s mission.
“The Orlando Health Network continues to be successful in reducing unnecessary costs, achieving better outcomes, and improving the patient’s experience and well-being. We are thankful for our physicians, clinical teams, administrators and support staff whose hard work results in the highest distinctions for quality, which helps make Orlando Health a leading system,” Dr. Ralls stated.
