Characteristics and Performance of ACOs and Accountable Physician Groups: What Does the Evidence Tell Us?

The Council of Accountable Physician Practices (CAPP) engaged the Institute for Accountable Care (IAC) to review recent literature to assess the current state of research on the characteristics and performance of accountable care organizations (ACOs) and accountable physician groups. CAPP has promoted five elements as essential to accountable care:

1. Coordinated care
2. Outcomes-based payment
3. Health information technology
4. Physician leadership
5. Quality improvement

This review focuses primarily on the first two elements.

Much of the recent literature on accountable care has focused on ACOs. This review defines accountable care more broadly than ACOs and considers the performance of organized...