UnityPoint ACO's Home Visit Program (Case Study)

This case study describes UnityPoint Accountable Care’s approach to implementing a home visit program to improve the care experience and health outcomes of beneficiaries. The accountable care organization’s (ACO’s) strategy has three components: (1) identifying beneficiaries who would benefit from a home visit as a follow-up to an inpatient discharge; (2) using the home visit to review post-discharge instructions, assess health and social service needs, and provide follow-up care; and (3) documenting and billing for reimbursement using a waiver available through the Next Generation ACO Model. UnityPoint’s preliminary analyses suggest that the home visit program led to a drop in emergency department utilization and inpatient hospital admissions. The ACO’s experience is informative for other ACOs interested in or currently implementing a home visit program.