About the Cambridge Health Alliance Accountable Care Organization
What is an ACO?
An Accountable Care Organization is a group of healthcare providers (primary care teams, specialists, and hospitals) who work together to give patients all the services they need while striving to meet certain goals:
-
Improving the patient experience (higher satisfaction, better access)
-
Improving outcomes for all patients (better quality)
-
Reducing the costs of healthcare
About the Medicare Shared Savings Program
Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) is participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), a national effort that aims to provide more coordinated, higher quality health care and reduce the growth of Medicare spending. This effort is part of the Cambridge Health Alliance Accountable Care Organization, or ACO.
Why is this important?
CHA is part of a national effort to improve the healthcare system to improve patient experience of care, improve outcomes for all patients, and reduce the costs of healthcare. These standards are known as the
Triple Aim.
How does this affect you?
If you have fee-for-service Medicare, and you get the majority of your care at CHA, you will get a letter in the mail explaining the Medicare Shared Savings Program. We will ask you to share your health information with CHA. This information will help your CHA provider get a more complete picture of your health and offer you more coordinated care.
Being part of this program does not change your Medicare benefits in any way. Your CHA provider may recommend a particular doctor or service based on your health needs, but it's always your choice about what doctors you see or hospitals you visit.
How exactly is CHA working to improve health care?
There are several new initiatives to help our patients stay healthier. These include:
Advanced Access scheduling: We keep a certain number of appointments open for patients every day. This lets you get an appointment with your primary care team when you are in need.
Electronic medical records: Using an electronic medical record lets us share data securely across our system. So if you see a primary care doctor in Somerville, go to the Emergency Room at our Cambridge Hospital campus, and see a specialist at our Whidden Hospital campus, all your providers will understand your health needs. This will help reduce unnecessary tests and treatments and give you more timely and coordinated care.
MyCHArt: This electronic portal lets you stay more connected to your care. For example, it will let you send a secure message to your health providers and review your medical records online – making it easy to be a member of your health care team.
Complex care management: These staff help our sickest patients navigate the health care system and coordinate all the care they need.
Transitions of care: We are working to help each CHA patient discharged from a hospital or rehabilitation facility be seen by their primary care team when they go home.
Patient-Centered Medical Homes: The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a new way to provide you with health care. Medical Home sites organize care around patients by working in teams, coordinating services, and tracking results over time. The “team” is led by your CHA doctor and may include nurses, medical assistants, front desk staff, mental health counselors, pharmacists, health educators, and care coordinators.
Information about the Cambridge Health Alliance ACO
Name and Location
Cambridge Public Health Commission D/B/A Cambridge Health Alliance
1493 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
ACO Primary Contact
Lisa M. Trumble
Cambridge Health Alliance Physicians Organization
Vice President of Finance and Operations
lmtrumble@challiance.org
781-306-8654
Composition of ACO:
Cambridge Public Health Commission D/B/A Cambridge Health Alliance is the sole participant in the Cambridge Health Alliance Accountable Care Organization.
ACO Participants
Cambridge Health Alliance is comprised of Cambridge, Somerville and Whidden hospital campuses and the Cambridge Health Alliance Physicians Organization and associated clinics.
Cambridge Health Alliance ACO Governing Body
| Semonoff |
Ellen |
Chair |
| Machado |
Isaac |
Vice-Chair |
| Bor |
David |
Member |
| DePasquale |
Louis |
Member |
| Hart |
William |
Member |
| Kaplan |
Madge |
Member |
| Leape |
Lucian |
Member |
| Logan |
Traci |
Member |
| Lukas |
Carol |
Member |
| Manos |
Steven |
Member |
| McCue |
Gerald |
Member |
| McGilvray |
Kathleen |
Member |
| Paris |
Paula |
Member |
| Posner |
Joshua |
Member |
| Solet |
Maxwell |
Member |
| Walker |
Deborah |
Member |
| Wardell |
Patrick |
Member |
| Barbosa |
Moacir |
Member |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
| ACO Participant Representative |
Cambridge Health Alliance ACO Committees and Key Leadership Personnel
Cambridge Health Alliance Committees:
| Board Quality Committee, Chairperson: |
Carol Van Deusen Lukas |
| Board Audit and Compliance Committee, Chairperson: |
Louis DePasquale |
| Board Finance Committee, Chairperson: |
Louis DePasquale |
| Patient Care Improvement Committee, Chairperson: |
Laura Sullivan, MD |
| Patient Family Advisory Committee, Chairperson: |
Deborah Murphy and
Claudia Diotalevi (Co-Chairs) |
Cambridge Health Alliance Key Leadership/Personnel:
| Chief Executive Officer: |
Patrick Wardell |
| Chief Operating Officer: |
Allison Bayer |
| Chief Medical Officer: |
Gerald Steinberg, MD |
| Chief Financial Officer: |
Gordon Boudrow |
| Chief Administrative Officer, ACO: |
Doug Thompson |
Aggregate Amount of Shared Savings/Losses for Cambridge Health Alliance ACO
- Performance Year 1: TBD
- Performance Year 2: TBD
- Performance Year 3: TBD
How Shared Savings Are Distributed
- Reserves and Reinvest in infrastructure: 50%
- Hospital and Clinical Operations: 25%
- Distribution to Physician Participants: 25%
- Primary Care Professionals: 60%
- Specialists: 30%
- Psychiatry: 10%