Tucson Medical Center: A Community Hospital Aligning Stakeholders for Accountable Care

Tucson Medical Center, a community hospital in Tucson, Ariz., is one of the provider groups participating in the Brookings–Dartmouth ACO Pilot Program to implement accountable care organizations (ACOs), which assume responsibility for improving patient care and lowering total costs and, in turn, share in the savings achieved. This case study explores the characteristics of Tucson Medical Center and its partners, including affiliated physician groups and the insurer United Healthcare, that have contributed to the development of their ACO, including: the medical center’s strong local governance, its institutional commitment to the ACO initiative, and its historical role as a community-based  hospital. In addition, Tucson Medical Center’s partners created a management services organization to provide the tools and resources needed to manage population health,  improve care, and reduce costs.