What group of providers collaborates to manage patient care under the concept of ACOs?

The concept of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) revolves around a coordinated network of healthcare providers who collaborate to deliver comprehensive care to patients. This group typically includes a range of healthcare professionals such as primary care physicians, specialists, hospitals, and other health services. By working together, these providers aim to enhance the quality of care while managing costs effectively.

The focus on collaborative care within ACOs allows for improved patient outcomes by ensuring that all providers involved in a patient's care are aligned in their treatment goals and strategies. This approach helps in preventing unnecessary duplications of services and enhances communication among providers, which ultimately benefits the patient.

Other options do not accurately capture the collaborative and multi-disciplinary nature of ACOs. For instance, individuals with chronic illnesses, while important stakeholders in the system, do not represent the provider collaboration aspect. For-profit insurance companies, while potentially involved in the financial model of healthcare, do not directly deliver care and therefore are not part of the provider group itself. Similarly, restricting the discussion to hospitals alone overlooks the essential role that various healthcare providers play in an ACO's framework, which is designed to optimize patient care across all levels and types of service.