A number of San Francisco area providers and Health Net of California, a Woodland Hills-based payer, are forming an accountable care organization (ACO) for University of California (UC) employees living or working in the area. The hospitals joining in this initiative are the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, San Ramon, Calif.-based Hill Physicians Medical Group, and St. Mary’s Medical Center and Saint Francis Memorial Hospital both of San Francisco.

“This accountable care arrangement moves our organizations and the patients we serve into a future where traditional barriers to coordinated, integrated and efficient care can be eliminated, and the focus can be squarely placed on providing what our patients need,” Josh Adler, M.D., chief medical officer, UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, said in a statement. “I believe this new model will be a significant step forward for UC employees.”