The Potential of Shared-Savings Models to Support Integrated Health and Social Services for Complex Patients

In addition to a range of clinical services, complex patients also often require social services to address housing, food, and other needs. All of these services need to be well integrated. One way to foster joint accountability for the health outcomes and costs of caring for this population is to establish arrangements between providers and community-based organizations in which the financial savings generated by improvements to efficiency and quality are shared. The project team will examine existing shared-savings arrangements across health care and other sectors to identify design principles required for success, such as those for calculating savings, setting appropriate savings time frames, and sharing savings among participating organizations. The project findings will set the stage for future implementation and evaluation of shared-savings models in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.