What are the primary types of healthcare delivery models?

The primary types of healthcare delivery models focus on how care is organized, financed, and delivered to patients. The correct answer highlights two significant models—fee-for-service and accountable care organizations (ACOs)—that illustrate fundamental approaches within the healthcare system.

Fee-for-service is a traditional model where providers are paid for each service or procedure performed. This system incentivizes volume, as payments are based on individual services rendered rather than outcomes. On the other hand, accountable care organizations represent a newer approach aimed at providing coordinated and higher-quality care while controlling costs. ACOs are groups of healthcare providers who come together to provide care to a defined patient population, with a focus on maintaining the health and well-being of that population through preventive measures and efficient care management.

Together, these models illustrate the spectrum of healthcare delivery, with fee-for-service emphasizing provision of individual services and ACOs highlighting a more integrated approach focused on patient outcomes and value.

The other options, while they represent important aspects of healthcare, do not encapsulate the overarching models of healthcare delivery. Options discussing home healthcare, telemedicine, emergency care, preventive care, specialist care, and family practice describe specific types of care or settings rather than foundational models for delivering healthcare services broadly. Thus, while all