In the broad transition to payment reform and value-based care accountable care organizations need robust analytics and care management platforms that go beyond today's EHRs.

So it's no surprise that technology stalwarts and upstarts alike are catering new products specifically to ACOs. Earlier this year, in fact, Chilmark Research posted a list of 10 companies it described as "ACO Enablers."

Aledade, Caravan Health, CHESS, Conifer Health, Cognizant, Evolent, McKesson, Optum, Premier and TMA Practice Edge are all on Chilmark's list -- while Dunn Solutions, Fibroblast, Innovacer and SAS Institute are also staking a claim in the ACO realm.

Chilmark's report said that the crop of ACO Enablers is maturing to "guide healthcare organizations on the ACO path."

Some ACOs, in fact, are already reporting success stories.

Mercy ACO: cuts costs and drives care services
Mercy Accountable Care Organization in Des Moines has reduced healthcare expenditures for Iowans by more than $70 million since the ACO's inception in 2012. And COO Derek Novak envisions even more savings in the years ahead.

The ACO uses a platform called Datashop Care Management from Innovaccer. Comparing 2017 over 2016, workflows and processes enabled by Datashop have played a significant role in improved key process indicators, increasing the annual wellness visit rate by 9.2 percent, boosting primary care services by 14.3 percent, and reducing emergency department utilization by 6.7 percent, the ACO reported.

[...]

Source: Healthcare IT News (View full article)

Healthcare organizations looking to expand their big data analytics horizons will have more infrastructure, Machine-Learning-as-a-Service (MLaaS), and deep learning options thanks to a series of new product launches from Amazon.

The bookseller-turned-innovation-juggernaut has announced a suite of new tools including an Internet of Things (IoT) analytics platform, natural language processing (NLP) tools, a deep learning imaging analytics system, and a graph database platform that may allow providers to take their big data assets to the next level.

The technology releases, showcased by Amazon Web Services (AWS) at the annual re:Invent convention, highlight the increasingly important role of companies more traditionally known for their consumer-facing interests.

Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Apple have all made moves into the healthcare space in recent months, jockeying for position as leaders in one of the most lucrative technology marketplaces still waiting for its transformative lightbulb moment.

Applying retail-style analytics, targeting tools, and consumer engagement strategies to healthcare business problems is a promising opportunity to streamline workflows for providers while delivering the smooth, intuitive, and convenient customer service that patients are beginning to expect from their clinicians.

[...]

Source: Health IT Analytics (View full article)