Carving Out the Pharmacist's Role in the Elusive ACO

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) were established as part of the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform act signed by President Obama in 2010. An ACO, comprising a network of physicians and facilities that managed the health care needs of Medicare beneficiaries, is an innovative model for delivering health care services. While pharmacist involvement in ACOs is not federally mandated, their skills and experience suggest that they can play a viable role in these organizations. The medication-related activities that the ACO will need to provide are consistent with those currently being performed by consultant pharmacists in long-term care, so there could well be opportunities for these practitioners as ACOs are established and evolve.