How does an ACO operate in terms of patient care?

An Accountable Care Organization (ACO) operates primarily by bringing together a group of healthcare providers who work collaboratively to deliver high-quality care specifically for Medicare patients. The focus of an ACO is to improve health outcomes by ensuring that patients receive coordinated care, which leads to a better patient experience and enhanced communication among providers. This collaborative approach is centered around shared responsibility for patient care, which results in more efficient use of resources and improved quality in health services.

While coordination and high-quality care are central to an ACO's operations, the other options do address important facets of healthcare delivery. However, they do not encapsulate the specific functioning of ACOs as effectively. For instance, while reducing costs is an aspect of ACOs, the primary feature remains the coordination of care among providers. Emphasizing prevention is indeed a critical component of modern healthcare models, yet ACOs focus more broadly on the integration of care delivery. Care centers for patients with acute illness may represent a segment of healthcare services, but they do not reflect the comprehensive, coordinated approach that ACOs implement across a wider patient demographic. Therefore, A represents the most accurate description of how an ACO functions in patient care.