Peter B. Bach, MD, Analyzes ACOs and PCMHs

Peter B. Bach, MD, MAPP, director, Center for Health Policy and Outcomes, says accountable care organizations and patient-centered medical homes are trends driven by macro issues, which include decreased reimbursement to private practices and drug discounts from the 340B program.

“Instead of lamenting this shift, which probably is negative in [its] current state because of access problems and higher costs in hospitals, we should seek to take advantage of the general trend toward risk shifting in the way that takes advantage of the move to hospitals,” Dr Bach says.

He suggests that hospitals are larger, and thus better equipped with staff who can adapt to risk shifting and generate cost savings.