Physician Alignment Presents Challenge in Forming ACOs, Survey

Healthcare administrators and physicians report one of the biggest obstacles they face in forming accountable care organizations (ACOs) is physician alignment, according to a survey conducted by AMN Healthcare, a healthcare staffing organization.

The survey of more than 800 administrators and physicians found that 58 percent said they were in the process of forming ACOs or are considering doing so, while 42 percent said their facilities would not be forming ACOs in the foreseeable future.

Of the administrators and physicians moving toward ACOs, 42 percent said physician alignment is the most serious obstacle to their efforts. Forty percent of the physicians and administrators who are not forming ACOs said physician alignment was the reason.

Other obstacles to forming ACOs included lack of capital, the absence of integrated IT systems, and no evidence-based treatment protocol data, according to the survey.