How Referral Management Software Helps ACOs Improve Care Coordination and Reduce Costs

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) play a pivotal role in transforming the U.S. healthcare system by improving care quality while reducing unnecessary spending. Yet one of the biggest challenges ACOs face is coordinating care effectively across a complex network of primary care providers, specialists, hospitals, and post-acute facilities.

Inefficient referral workflows cause delays, communication gaps, lost referrals, and higher costs. This is why modern referral management software has become essential for ACOs striving to succeed in value-based care. Platforms like ReferralMD help ACOs streamline referral workflows, improve data transparency, and enhance patient outcomes across the care continuum.

1. Streamlined Referral Processes with Referral Management Software to ACOs

Inefficient referral workflows are a major barrier to high-quality, coordinated care. Traditional methods—such as faxes, phone calls, and disconnected EHR notes—can lead to lost referrals, delayed appointments, and unnecessary duplication of services. Implementing referral management software to ACOs automates these processes, ensuring that referrals are accurately routed, tracked, and completed in a timely manner.

Key benefits include:

• Digital creation, submission, and receipt of referrals

• Faster and more accurate matching of patients to the right specialists

• Reduced manual administrative burden on clinical staff

• Minimized risk of lost or overlooked referrals

By adopting referral management software, ACOs can improve the efficiency of their referral processes, enhance care continuity, and ultimately achieve better patient outcomes—all while supporting cost-reduction and shared-savings goals.

2. Enhanced Care Coordination Across Provider Networks

Effective care coordination is essential for ACOs to reduce unnecessary utilization and improve outcomes. ReferralMD provides a unified platform that enables primary care physicians, specialists, and care coordinators to access real-time referral information.

Benefits include:

• Centralized referral data and documents
• Improved handoffs between providers
• Reduced duplication of tests or services
• HIPAA-compliant communication and secure messaging

Learn more about HIPAA requirements for communication on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website.

3. Improved Patient Tracking and Follow-Up

Missed or delayed specialist appointments can lead to avoidable hospitalizations or ED visits. ReferralMD strengthens patient tracking using:

• Real-time referral status updates
• Automated appointment reminders
• Alerts for overdue referrals
• Improved scheduling coordination

These features help ACOs close care gaps and improve patient engagement—key components of MSSP quality scoring.

4. Data-Driven Insights for Continuous Improvement

ACOs must understand referral patterns to optimize care delivery. ReferralMD’s analytics and reporting capabilities provide insights such as:

• Referral volume trends
• Specialist efficiency and response times
• Network leakage
• Completion rates and bottlenecks

For more on the role of data in ACO performance, visit the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS).

5. Better Cost Management and Reduced Waste

One of the core missions of ACOs is to eliminate unnecessary or duplicative services. Inefficient referral management leads to:

• Duplicate labs
• Unnecessary imaging
• Patient leakage
• Higher overall costs

ReferralMD reduces these inefficiencies through automation, better data sharing, and improved communication—resulting in lower costs and stronger value-based performance.

Conclusion

Referral management is a critical component of ACO success, yet many organizations still rely on outdated manual processes. Implementing a modern referral management solution like ReferralMD enables ACOs to:

• Strengthen care coordination
• Improve patient outcomes
• Reduce unnecessary healthcare spending
• Enhance provider network performance
• Gain actionable, data-driven insights

By streamlining referrals and improving visibility across the care continuum, ReferralMD helps ACOs meet their value-based care goals and deliver more coordinated, efficient, and cost-effective care.

Learn more about how ReferralMD supports ACOs: https://www.referralmd.com