Leveraging Accountable Care Organization infrastructure for rapid pandemic response in independent primary care practices

BACKGROUND: Population risk segmentation and technology-enabled preventive care workflows are core competencies for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that may also have relevance for public health emergencies. METHODS: During the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to leverage existing ACO capabilities to support 467 primary care practices across 27 states with pandemic response. We used Medicare claims and electronic health records to identify patients with increased COVID-19 vulnerability, for proactive outreach and guidance for “Staying Well at Home.” RESULTS: 302,125 patients met intervention criteria; 45% were reached within the first 6 weeks. Engagement in the initiative was uneven among ACO-participating practices. ACO staff identified prior practice engagement in core ACO workflows as a major facilitator of success and staffing shortages as a major barrier. Small practice size, non-metropolitan location, penetration of value-based payment models in the practice, and pre-pandemic Annual Wellness Visit completion rates were independently associated with successful outreach to COVID-vulnerable patients. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid adaptation of ACO infrastructure assisted independent practices across the country to reach vulnerable patients with proactive guidance for staying well at home. The initiative was most successful in smaller, non-metropolitan practices and those with greater engagement in core ACO initiatives pre-pandemic. IMPLICATIONS: Our experience suggests that primary care participation in accountable care models can contribute to preparedness for future public health crises.