Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are provider-centric organized systems of care promoted in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). ACOs increase quality, reduce hospital readmissions, and save money. ACOs are required to create legal entities that include leadership, a management structure, infrastructure, and the means to distribute monies among partners. ACO agreements must be three years or longer. ACOs need to demonstrate they have developed defined processes to promote evidence-based medicine and patient engagement, report on quality and cost measures, and coordinate care. ACOs must also use telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and other enabling technologies that ensure patient.
