Dr. Kennedy Discusses How Physicians in Hospital Systems Will Be Affected by ACOs

Charles Kennedy, MD, MBA, CEO, Accountable Care Solutions, Aetna Inc, says that part of an Accountable Care Organization's (ACOs) objective is changing how care is delivered. “Instead of having the physician focus on the patient who walks through the door,” Dr Kennedy said, “the physician is asked to focus on a population of individuals, and they may or may not be choosing to get care.” Dr Kennedy notes that the ACO population-based approach will give physicians the incentive to proactively reach out to patients with chronic disease, or are at risk for chronic disease. Dr Kennedy says ACOs will be an important driver in prevention and wellness strategies and in aligning resources to keep the population as healthy as possible.