Acclimating to the Increase in Statin Use in Accountable Care Organizations Based on Changes in Quality Measures: A Report from the Accountable Care Organization Research Network, Services, and Education.

UNLABELLED

The Accountable Care Organization Research Network, Services, and Education (ACORN SEED), founded by faculty members at Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy, is a group of pharmacists that provides unique pharmacy services to accountable care organizations (ACOs), patient-centered medical homes, and management services organizations to help maximize shared savings and target medication-related issues, while promoting the pharmacy profession and unique learning experiences for pharmacy students within these settings. In this report, ACORN SEED investigators provide a brief overview of the ACO benchmark measures in relation to statin use. Historically, hyperlipidemia treatment was tailored to meet certain cholesterol levels as a surrogate marker in preventing major adverse cardiovascular events, specifically a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level less than 100 mg/dL as a target goal. In addition, Medicare assessed a health care provider's performance based on this target goal in specific populations (i.e., diabetes and ischemic vascular disease). In 2013, the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association published updated recommendations removing these LDL-C treatment goals. Rather than treating with cholesterol-lowering medications in an effort to reduce cholesterol levels, patients are now being evaluated for statin therapy use based on 4 benefit groups that focus on the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In 2015, Medicare's shared savings program removed the previous LDL-C goals from its quality measures and now assesses positive performance from the updated guidelines. Currently, under ACO benchmark measure #42, health care providers are being rewarded for prescribing statin therapy for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, which reflects updated evidence-based recommendations. With the increase in statin use, randomized controlled trials or ACO validation studies are important in determining future implications on cardiovascular outcomes.

DISCLOSURES

No funding was involved in the preparation of this report. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Both authors contributed equally to data collection, analysis, and manuscript preparation.