Pat Cutillo suffers from chronic hypertension.
Christine Meyer is Cutillos internist.
These groups were created to coordinate the care of patients, including those enrolled inoriginal Medicare.
Providers who join an ACO commit to improving their patients health while also keeping costs down.
If they do, they earn financial incentives.
She has added hours, including at night and on weekends.
Shes hired more clinicians and support staff.
And she created what she calls the BAT phone.
BAT stands for before all that.
But before all that, Meyer suggests they call the BAT phone.
Meyers office manager, Claree Nanacasse, keeps the phone with her at all times.
Meyer estimates that Nanacasse gets three or four BAT phone calls a day.
Cutillo was given the BAT phone number after herblood pressurespiked and she ended up in the emergency room.
Its made a tremendous difference for me, she says.
You know when things arent working right, I think you have a tendency to overreact.
Having the BAT phone number eases anxiety and provides a tremendous sense of security.
I know that someone is there that can help me immediately, Cutillo says.
She avoided an emergency room visit and Medicare avoided a pricey ER bill.
Another time, Cutillos blood pressure dipped after a change in her medication.
She felt light-headed and fatigued.
A half hour later, her pressure stabilized.
This makes you feel that theyre really on top of this condition, Cutillo says.
Its kept me out of the emergency room.
The latest federal data shows that nearly half of all original Medicare enrollees are now connected to an ACO.
ACOs dont provide the care.
We have so much information at our fingertips that we didnt have before, Meyer says.
Were able to see who our sickest patients are.
Were able to see who the patients are that arent getting the routine care they need for their diabetes.
