UConn Health University News

June 29, 2016 | Lauren Woods - Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine

UConn Health, Hartford HealthCare Explore Forming ACO

An Accountable Care Organization is a voluntary collaboration to coordinate care and ensure that shared patients receive the best care at the lowest cost.

Dr. Tessa Balach speaks with a patient. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo)

An Accountable Care Organization is a voluntary collaboration to coordinate care and ensure that shared patients receive the best care at the lowest cost. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo)

UConn Health has selected Hartford HealthCare as its partner in exploring the formation of an Accountable Care Organization, concluding a search that began in fall 2015. This is not a merger or sharing of assets. Rather, an ACO is a group of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers who voluntarily collaborate to coordinate care and ensure that shared patients receive the best care at the lowest possible cost – otherwise known as “value-based care.”

“Most major systems in Connecticut participate in an ACO of some sort, and it was time for UConn Health to do the same,” said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health and executive vice president for health affairs. “When we set out to find an ACO partner, we sought one with the experience, and demonstrated value-based care results, that was willing to customize a model to fit the needs of UConn Health. This would include shared leadership of the future ACO. In Hartford HealthCare, we found all of that – and a local leadership excited and engaged to partner with us to make a difference for patients in the communities we jointly serve.”

The president and chief executive officer of Hartford HealthCare, Elliot Joseph, said, “We are proud that UConn Health has selected Hartford HealthCare to assist them in exploring the formation of an ACO. We are pleased to be recognized for our efforts to reduce cost while improving quality for the people we serve. We look forward to working together to advance value-based care in Connecticut.”

UConn Health’s search for potential ACO partners began in October 2015, with a letter to more than a dozen Connecticut health care organizations looking for interest in allowing UConn Health to co-lead the development of joint initiatives to improve health outcomes and reduce the costs of achieving such outcomes. Through a series of meetings, options were explored resulting in today’s announcement.

“The interest was great, and in the end what we found exceeded our expectations,” said Agwunobi. “This new partnership is a tremendous fit for us both, and a win for Connecticut.”