Deloitte’s annual survey of physicians found that responding practitioners believe they are finding more opportunities in the
accountable care organizations (ACOs) and other integrated health systems that have been encouraged by the Accountable Care Act (ACA). But they remain hesitant to change their practices without more evidence that these systems will work.
The findings by Deloitte, a consulting and professional service firm, are based on survey replies by 613 of the 20,000 physicians to whom Deloitte sent surveys.
One-third of those responding reported familiarity with the new delivery models, and 37% said that ACOs would successfully achieve improved quality for some standards of patient care.
“There’s still uncertainty about how the financial side is going to play out,” Dr. Bob Williams, Deloitte’s national medical leader, told
Kaiser Health News. “But physicians also see the value in the ACA and see the value in improving access to care.”
Terry West, a health care consultant at the research and consulting firm IHS, said physicians would be more likely to embrace the changes when there is long-term proof that they work.
“I think that physicians, especially primary care physicians, will be positive and more willing to be involved with ACOs,” he said. “But others are not clear whether it will benefit their specialties.”
West noted that the majority of physicians surveyed agreed that interdisciplinary teams and coordinators were “the wave of the future in medicine.” And even without conclusive studies, seven out of 10 responding physicians said that large health delivery systems – which include ACOs, medical homes and hospitals – would yield more financial success in the future.