COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and CVS Accountable Care, part of CVS Health, announced Thursday the creation of an accountable care organization (ACO) to improve the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries by Ohio State providers in central Ohio.

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and CVS Accountable Care announced Thursday the creation of an accountable care organization (ACO) to improve the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries by Ohio State providers in central Ohio

  • This coordinated approach to delivering care is centered around each patient’s unique needs and emphasizes preventive wellness and proactive treatment of chronic conditions

  • The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and CVS Accountable Care clinical care teams will focus initially on supporting the transition of care for all ACO beneficiaries following a hospitalization, providing medical and social support services for beneficiaries with higher risk of hospitalization or readmission and strengthening comprehensive care management for all ACO patients

This coordinated approach to delivering care is centered around each patient’s unique needs and emphasizes preventive wellness and proactive treatment of chronic conditions, according to a press release from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

The new CVS ACO, a Medicare Shared Savings Program Enhanced track ACO, expands the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center’s ACO work and furthers both organizations’ focus on improving people’s lives and providing patients with the right care at the right time in the most appropriate care setting, according to the release.

The CVS ACO will combine resources from both organizations to provide more patients with care coordination and longitudinal care management to address both medical and social needs. 

“As we prepare for the nationwide shift to having all Medicare beneficiaries in accountable care relationships by 2030, this collaboration with CVS Accountable Care is a natural progression of Ohio State’s work in this space that builds on our commitment to provide the very best care to every patient, every time,” Dr. John J. Warner, CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and executive vice president at Ohio State, said in the release. “It’s important that we meet every patient where they are in their health care journey and take the next step in being accountable for our patients’ holistic health and improved outcomes.”

To give patients high-quality, coordinated service and care, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and CVS Accountable Care clinical care teams will focus initially on supporting the transition of care for all ACO beneficiaries following a hospitalization, providing medical and social support services for beneficiaries with higher risk of hospitalization or readmission and strengthening comprehensive care management for all ACO patients, according to the release.

Patients will benefit from increased touchpoints from a clinical care team member, including education regarding complex medical conditions, assistance with scheduling follow-up visits and access to community resources. 

“We are combining care delivery capabilities and engaging our assets on behalf of patients, including those in Ohio who receive care from Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. Together, we are focused on driving high-quality outcomes, promoting health equity and bringing health care costs down,” Dr. Mohamed Diab, president of CVS Accountable Care, said in the release. “The collaboration will immediately provide value to patients, physicians and care teams within the Ohio State family. We look forward to bringing complementary expertise, resources and tools from across CVS Accountable Care to Ohio State patients and care providers.”