Accountable Care Organizations The Ethical Basis for Creating ACO’s Nelson and Wadsworth, PHD’s Dartmouth

The Ethics of ACO’s Moral Imperative to deliver cost – effective, high quality, and safe healthcare Fulfillment of an ethical responsibility Bend the Value Curve Foster greater accountability on the part of providers… Reduce variation Shared decision making

The Ethics of ACO’s Social Justice linked to delivering “effective care” with limited resources. Organizations as moral agents where services are manifest within an ethical framework: – Patients best interest – Respect for patient values – Fostering justice

ACO Discussion Take-Aways Good article capturing an academic “ethics” perspective of ACO’s. May be a leap from academia to the pragmatic world of provider organizational function and economic sustainability. The authors may have made a significant leaps from scientific efficacy to fostering justice as moral agents.