The Mercer Report Organizations can collect and integrate detailed information about healthcare providers in their top locations and tailor it to their specific needs. This data can help organizations understand where opportunities exist to lower cost and improve quality. [66] HRO TODAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2017 Broader healthcare issues about the metro area are also factored in. For example, there is data around whether there is an oversupply of hospital beds or an undersupply of primary care physicians. Together, the full range of data allows employers to quickly and easily identify the locations where value-based care offers the greatest potential. The ultimate goal for organizations that take an ACO approach is to align reimbursement with value not volume. Employers can get started down this road by committing to this pay-for-value action plan: * Understand what percentage of the covered workforce is being cared for by a provider with a value-based reimbursement model, either through access to ACOs or other incentives for high-quality care and improved outcomes. * Know how much the organization is paying in additional fees for lives attributed to value-based reimbursement models such as ACOs. * Request carrier reporting that includes the expected and actual impact of value-based reimbursement on cost, quality, and member experience. * Build this into carrier contracts and/or RFPs. * Define a network strategy, establishing which local and regional healthcare players can initially meet the pay-for-value benchmarks. Building from an action plan to a thorough data-analysis approach will integrate the data on markets and providers and make it actionable for employers. The key is getting the right fit for the individual organization. Over time, the result will be an employer-based healthcare system that works for all organizations and stakeholders-and value will be its clearest metric. Molly Loftus is a chief actuary and partner in Mercer's health consulting practice and specializes in value-based care strategies.