Minnesota’s Essentia Named Accountable Care Organization

Circle Connections: Awards & Accreditations Duluth-based Essentia Health is one of the first six health systems in the country to be accredited as an accountable care organization by a nonprofit devoted to improving health care. The accreditation was announced Wednesday by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The term – accountable care organization (ACO) – might sound like health policy jargon, but it presents a profound change in the way health care is carried out. Accreditation matters because it gives insurers confidence that the health system's plan meets high standards, said Margaret O'Kane, president of the Washington-based National . . .