Breast Imaging: A Paradigm for Accountable Care Organizations.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are being promoted by the Centers of Medicare Services as alternative payment models for radiology reimbursement. Because of its clinical orientation, focus on prevention, standardized reporting, quality orientation through mandatory accreditation, and value demonstration through established outcome metrics, breast imaging offers a unique paradigm for the ACO model in radiology. CONCLUSION: In radiology, breast imaging represents the paradigm for ACOs.