Specialty Engagement in Accountable Care Toolkit

The Specialty Engagement in Accountable Care Toolkit is a comprehensive, six‑part resource designed to help accountable care organizations and their partners more effectively integrate specialty care into value‑based models. Specialty care represents the majority of U.S. health care spending and is central to long-term outcomes of patients with complex and chronic conditions, yet many specialists face barriers to participating in accountable care. The toolkit addresses these challenges by outlining core components for effectively engaging specialty care providers in accountable care with tools and best practices to strengthen and sustain high-quality care across the continuum and expand participation in value-based care models. 

Developed by NAACOS with a work group of clinical leaders, specialists, and operational and analytical experts, the toolkit offers best practices and stepwise guidance that organizations can adapt based on their readiness and local market dynamics. It is organized around six core domains – data and analytics; patient entry, attribution, and clinical pathways; specialist alignment and referral network planning; incentive design; episode of care payment models; and advanced specialty care payment models – providing a flexible yet thorough framework for aligning incentives and advancing shared accountability. 

Together, these resources can help organizations move beyond siloed pilots toward coordinated and data‑driven specialty engagement strategies that improve outcomes and manage costs.  

The toolkit serves as a complement to previous resources: the Creating a Sustainable Future for Value-based Care: Playbook of Voluntary Best Practices for VBC Payment Arrangements and The Future of Sustainable Value-Based Payment: Voluntary Best Practices to Advance Data Sharing, developed by NAACOS in partnership with AHIP and the American Medical Association, which outline best practices for aligning payment with quality, cost, and patient experience across payers. 

Download your copy of the Specialty Engagement in Accountable Care Toolkit now using the link below. File will download as a .zip file of the toolkit and six domain-specific tools. 

Register to attend a webinar on Specialty Engagement, including a review of the toolkit, on April 28, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET.