Montefiore Health System announced another successful year in improving the quality and the experience of care of Medicare beneficiaries, reaffirming its position as one of the top performing Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO). Montefiore is an academic health system and the University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a leader in provider-based population health management. A new analysis from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) shows Montefiore’s ACO generated 3.6% in gross savings in 2014 for the Medicare Program—one of the highest financial performers among all Pioneer ACOs—and its providers earned an impressive quality score of 86.21% by delivering integrated care to more than 28,000 patients. This news documents an achievement of Montefiore improving outcomes and experiences for Medicare patients through delivery of sophisticated, comprehensive care at an average gross savings of nearly 6% off its benchmark over the three years of the Model.

“For 20 years, Montefiore has invested in, developed and refined a forward thinking, innovative and responsive care model,” said Steven M. Safyer, M.D., president and CEO, Montefiore. “We take full responsibility for the care we provide – and are unwavering in our goal of optimizing health and wellness. The Montefiore model is the inevitable future of best practice in the delivery of high touch, high quality health care.”

The new analysis from CMS reports on the third year of a Medicare population where 25% of the patients were over the age of 85. Montefiore’s success is due largely to the comprehensive wrap-around services it provides and collaborations with private practice physicians in the community. Overall quality scores in the third year increased over 10% from the previous year. Significant gains were seen in quality metrics for preventive health measures critical to an elderly population including screening and follow up planning for clinical depression; colorectal cancer screening; and, providing multidisciplinary care plans for patients identified as being at risk for falls.

“We at Montefiore are setting the bar high for delivering quality healthcare while holding down costs,” said Stephen Rosenthal, senior vice president, population health management, Montefiore. “Performance-based care models like ACOs require the healthcare system to create new ways to meet all of our patients’ health needs, especially those with chronic, worsening conditions."

Findings were released by CMS and included quality and financial results for the Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs in addition to the Pioneer program.