Which term best describes a network of providers collaborating to improve outcomes while reducing costs?

• A. A hand-off process between hospitals.
• B. A solo practice model.
• C. Groups of providers who work together to improve quality and lower costs of care.
• D. A disease surveillance system.

Answer: (C)

This item tests how health care providers collaborate to improve patient outcomes while controlling costs. The best description is groups of providers who work together to improve quality and lower costs of care because it captures a coordinated, value-based approach. When multiple clinicians across settings—primary care, specialists, hospitals, and post-acute care—join forces, they share information, align treatment plans, and use standardized, evidence-based pathways. They also align incentives so pursuing higher-quality care doesn’t mean higher spending. This kind of network aims to produce better results for patients at lower overall cost, which is the essence of many payer–provider collaborations like accountable care models.

A hand-off process between hospitals focuses on transferring patient responsibility and information during transitions, not on ongoing collaboration across a network aimed at optimizing outcomes and costs. A solo practice model describes an independent clinician or small group operating without broad collaboration. A disease surveillance system tracks and analyzes patterns of illness for public health purposes, not the delivery and financing of care across a network.