PCMHs, ACOs, and medication management: lessons learned from early research partnerships

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has greatly accelerated the formation of team-based models of care delivery, primarily accountable care organizations (ACOs) and patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs).  Many have written about the need to incorporate medication management services into these systems in order to improve care and reduce total health care costs. Two primary ways of doing so have emerged: (1) an embedded model, whereby pharmacists are employed directly by a physician practice, or (2) a "virtual care team" model, whereby a PCMH or ACO develops an arrangement with external pharmacists in community settings to provide coordinated services.