ACO and health care practices

There was a question on what ACO meant for health care practices and as part of reform of current practices. Rusty sends two links he thinks might help:

A guide to Accountable Care Organizations… from Health Reform Watch offers a glimpse:

Specifically, their findings illustrate that there exists wide variations in the cost of care across the country, and profoundly, that the regions that spend more per patient do not necessarily obtain better outcomes. So what to do? Dr. Fisher believes he has found at least part of the answer: the Accountable Care Organization, known as an “ACO”.

And this one here:

Thinking of selling your practice and switching to a hospital-employment model? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, if you aren’t already working as a hospital employee, you’re in the minority: Hospital employment among doctors has jumped from 25 percent in 2002 to 50 percent in 2008, according to the MGMA, and is probably even higher today.