On Demand: TEAM Ready or Not? CABG Program Readiness in a New Era of Episode Accountability-Webinar Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, led by Nicole Knight and Katie Willer, focuses on the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), a CMS Medicare episode-based payment initiative effective from 2026 to 2030, targeting acute care hospitals and specifically addressing CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) surgeries among other procedures. TEAM aims to improve coordinated, high-quality care with graduated financial risk and reward tracks. Episodes begin with CABG-related hospital admission and extend 30 days post-discharge, encompassing a wide range of related services. Success under TEAM requires operational readiness involving clinical standardization, operational execution, post-acute strategy, data transparency, and governance with accountability. Key challenges include variability in discharge practices, inconsistent post-acute care ownership, and delayed actionable data. The presenters emphasize that strong clinical outcomes alone do not guarantee readiness, and highlight the necessity of a governance structure that drives decisions and accountability. They provide tools such as a readiness self-assessment and a phased 30-60-90 day implementation roadmap to prepare organizations. The model excludes preoperative outpatient care but includes care coordination post-procedure. Overall, TEAM pushes for integrated, episode-focused care management, emphasizing collaboration across clinical, operational, and post-acute domains to reduce variability, improve outcomes, and control costs.

Keywords

Transforming Episode Accountability Model

TEAM

CMS Medicare payment initiative

CABG surgeries

acute care hospitals

episode-based payment

care coordination