Citation
(2014), "2013 Awards for Excellence", Journal of Integrated Care, Vol. 22 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-02-2014-001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2013 Awards for Excellence
Article Type: 2013 Awards for Excellence From: Journal of Integrated Care, Volume 22, Issue 1.
The following article was selected for this years Outstanding Paper Award for Journal of Integrated Care
"Accountable care – aligning incentives with outcomes"
Alasdair Liddell
Independent Consultant, London, UK
David Welbourn
Centre for Better Managed Health and Social Care, Cass Business School, City University, London, UK
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to seek to move the integrated care debate forward by exploring what contributes to improved
quality and efficiency, and to consider the practical consequences of translating a model exemplifying that success into the
English context.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors contend that a key driver is to unite the whole system in a single purpose, incentivising all parts to align
with that single shared purpose. Although designed for a very different healthcare system, the Accountable Care Organisation
(ACO) model exemplifies this principle – aligning incentives across a variety of providers to achieve practical integration
driven by outcomes.
Findings – The authors explore what an ACO model would comprise if transposed, demonstrating that it offers the short-term gains claimed
for integrated care whilst also providing a structured framework setting out a clear long-term roadmap for both commissioner
and provider evolution, hitherto not addressed by policy. Drawing analogies from other industries it is suggested that potential
conflict between integration, competition and choice is exaggerated. The discussions with leaders and whole community groups
has consistently been found to provide fresh and helpful insight.
Originality/value – In this paper, the authors bring fresh insight to what aspects of integrated care contribute to future success and then
explore why and how that insight can be applied by translating growing experience from elsewhere into the English NHS setting.
Keywords Accountable care, Health services, Incentive alignment, Integrated care, Outcome-based care, Population-based capitation funding, Social care, UK
This article originally appeared in Volume 20 Number 3, 2012, Journal of Integrated Care
The following article was selected for this year's Highly Commended Award
"An integrated approach to addressing the needs of people with hearing loss in Hartlepool"
Tracey Sharp
This article originally appeared in Volume 20 Number 1, 2012, Journal of Integrated Care
Outstanding Reviewer
Richard Humphries
The Kings Fund, UK