The Evolution of Annual Wellness Visits at Bellin Health Partners Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (Case Study)

This case study describes the strategy that Bellin Health partners Accountable Care Organization (Bellin ACO) developed to maximize the effectiveness of annual wellness visits (AWVs). The initiative included four components: (1) structuring the care team, (2) health information technology (HIT) applications, (3) provider incentives, and (4) provider and staff communication. From 2015 to 2017, Bellin ACO increased the percentage of ACO-aligned beneficiaries who completed an AWV from 43 to 68 percent and observed that patients with AWVs showed improvements in quality and cost metrics compared with patients who did not receive an AWV. Bellin ACO’s experience can be helpful for ACOs that seek to increase beneficiaries’ participation in the AWV and to enhance the benefits of these visits for patient care.