Although specialty care drives 40% to 60% of medical costs, specialists are often disconnected from accountable care organizations. Their fee and incentive structures are distinct, and too many care management systems don’t try to bring specialists into the fold.
Specialists, however, are critical to care delivery—and they should be viewed as care partners and not cost drivers. Here are nine strategies to help specialists understand and improve their costs, quality and patient satisfaction—and, in so doing, engage them in accountable care organizations.
