BayCare Physician Partners ACO Leads with High-Quality Care at Lower Cost

BayCare Physician Partners Accountable Care Organization (ACO) continues to a be a leader in West Central Florida in providing the highest quality care at a lower cost. 

The annual release of results from the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) showed that for the sixth straight year, the ACO earned high quality ratings for patient care and delivered savings for Medicare. The ACO provides care for about 44,000 Medicare beneficiaries.

“As the region’s leading not-for-profit health care provider, we have a responsibility to work to keep health care affordable and accessible,” said BayCare Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nishant Anand. “Partnering with the best physicians in the community in the Medicare Shared Savings Program is one of the ways we are learning and contributing to the future of health care.”

Established by the Affordable Care Act, the Medicare Shared Savings Program aims to foster coordination and accountability among doctors, hospitals and other health care providers, so that each patient receives the right care at the right time.

In 2020, while caring for the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, the BayCare Physician Partners ACO delivered a 97.88 (out of 100) quality rating while also saving Medicare an estimated $13 million, the MSSP results show. 

The ACO’s efforts resulted in a better experience for patients, with more than a 20 percent reduction in hospitalizations, emergency room visits and use of skilled nursing facilities, among other outcomes.

“BayCare Physician Partners ACO physicians are working together to deliver the best patient care,” said BayCare’s Chief Medical Officer of Population Health, Dr. Kristyn Greifer. “We couldn’t be prouder of leading the way for smarter health care.”

BayCare Physician Partners ACO is the largest ACO serving the Tampa Bay region in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties and is the third largest among Florida-only ACOs that have agreed to accept risk as part of participation in the program.