Smaller ACOs pay $1 million, larger ones $4 million, to get IT started

So you want to form an ACO? Get ready to put in some serious capital. The data requirements for launching an accountable care organization will cost smaller ACOs more than $1 million and large ones up to $4 million before they start operations, according to a Black Book survey that included 300 developing and established ACOs.  The survey also reveals that 39% of ACO respondents plan to make most or all of their technology purchasing decisions before the third quarter of 2013.

Twenty-eight percent of providers participating in ACOs say they already have their basic health information exchange (HIE) and interoperability strategies in place. These providers will focus on community or regional exchanges for the foreseeable future, rather than national HIE initiatives, according to the report.

For more information on IT and other ACO start up costs, follow this link:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/9/prweb9908320.htm