To better understand current trends and predict future developments in the accountable care community, the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) and Leavitt Partners collaborated to develop the Annual ACO Survey. This article presents and overview of the results from the inaugural 2017 Annual ACO Survey and provides important insights into the current and future state of the ACO industry.

The latest in Express Scripts' series of comprehensive research reports reveals that commercially insured people who were adherent to their oral diabetes medications experienced significantly fewer emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations, and potentially avoided more than $210 million in healthcare spending in 2016.

Infographic from Norwich University. Facts, statistics, and examples related to hospital renovation, construction, and facility trends.

Reference: http://graduate.norwich.edu/resources-msn/infographics-msn/cutting-edge-technology-and-modern-hospital-rooms/

Infographic from Adventist University of Health Sciences. Facts, statistics, and examples related to hospital efforts to improve the health of the communities in which they operate.

Reference: https://www.ehidc.org/resources/how-hospitals-can-improve-health-whole-communities-infographic

Infographic from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Contains key facts and statistics related to storing health data, digital storage methods, health data risks, and how to protect patients' data.

Reference: http://healthinformatics.uic.edu/resources/infographics/how-secure-is-your-data-assessing-and-mitigating-risks-for-electronic-health-records/

Fleisher et al. (2016) created an instrument eliciting medication beliefs of persons with PD; identified demographic and clinical characteristics associated with beliefs; and examined whether beliefs are associated with dopaminergic therapy adherence. Negative beliefs about PD treatments are associated with lower quality of life and may be related to medication non-adherence. Further study of any causal relationship between beliefs and medication non-adherence in PD will inform the design of future patient-centered interventions to improve adherence.

Review from Iuga and McGuire (2014) considering the most recent developments in adherence research with a focus on the impact of medication adherence on health care costs in the US health system. They describe the magnitude of the nonadherence problem and related costs, with an extensive discussion of the mechanisms underlying the impact of nonadherence on costs. Specifically, they summarize the impact of nonadherence on health care costs in several chronic diseases, such as diabetes and asthma. A brief analysis of existing research study designs, along with suggestions for future research focus, is provided. Finally, given the ongoing changes in the US health care system, they also address some of the most relevant and current trends in health care, including pharmacist-led medication therapy management and electronic (e)-prescribing.

Asch et al. (2015) assessed whether physician financial incentives, patient incentives, or shared physician and patient incentives are more effective than control in reducing levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) among patients with high cardiovascular risk. In primary care practices, shared financial incentives for physicians and patients, but not incentives to physicians or patients alone, resulted in a statistically significant difference in reduction of LDL-C levels at 12 months. This reduction was modest, however, and further information is needed to understand whether this approach represents good value.

Volpp et al. (2008) conducted two pilot studies to determine whether a lottery-based daily financial incentive is feasible and improves warfarin adherence and anticoagulation control. A daily lottery-based financial incentive demonstrated the potential for significant improvements in missed doses of warfarin and time out of INR range.

Jackevicius, Mamdani, and Tu (2002) compared 2-year adherence following statin initiation in 3 cohorts of patients. Elderly patients with and without recent acute coronary syndrom have low rates of adherence to statins. This suggests that many patients initiating statin therapy may receive no or limited benefit from statins because of premature discontinuation.