Developing PACE^®

New PACE programs begin with a desire to provide high quality care in the community to older people with chronic needs.  Translating this desire into a start-up plan requires a thorough understanding of the PACE model of care, the community a prospective PACE program will serve, and your own organization.

NPA offers numerous resources and tools for a provider to understand the PACE model, assess their organization’s commitment and capacity, assess their community’s needs, and move forward with development or expansion of a PACE program.

For access to resources on the following topics, NPA members or those who have already registered may log in above.  If you are not an NPA member or have not yet registered on this web site please complete the registration form.  If you are a member or have registered before and cannot remember your log in information, please contact Rhonda Rose at rhondar@npaonline.org.

Understanding the PACE^® Model

Developing an understanding of the PACE model’s program and service requirements, their flexibility, and the stages of development across a team of management and clinical leaders will form a foundation for moving forward within the organization.


PACE^® in Your Community:  Understanding PACE^® Operating Experience and the Critical Success Factors

This document provides organizations that are developing a PACE program with an overview of the PACE operating experience and important points to be considered prior to developing a PACE program.  The document summarizes the cumulative body of experience regarding the six critical success factors for PACE, and key considerations that should be evaluated in a market area.  At the end of the process of information gathering, it is recommended that a PACE market and financial feasibility study be conducted prior to beginning the development of a PACE program.  A list of important resources is included in the document to assist with the steps in developing a PACE program. 

Assessment of Community Needs and Organization Commitment and Capacity

Assessing your community's needs will help to determine if there is adequate demand to support a new PACE program and will lay the foundation for establishing referral networks that will help the program build census, contract for services to meet PACE participant needs, and foster public support.  In addition, consideration of internal and external factors that will determine a PACE program’s success is applied to the development of a business plan, which is the basis for the organization to make a formal decision on whether to move forward with development of a new program.

Planning and Development/PACE^® Provider Application

A decision to move forward with a new PACE program will require the completion of a Provider Application, access to start-up funds and development of the infrastructure needed to provide services.  A prospective PACE sponsoring organization will need to work with state and federal agencies, internal and external funding sources, community organizations and healthcare providers to assemble an operational PACE program.


PACE^® Financial Planning Tools

The PACE Financial Planning Tools consist of detailed development case studies, a financial proforma model, and the PACE business planning checklist.  These tools help organizations assess the viability of developing a PACE program and present their plans for PACE development to others, including external investors.  The tools help expanding PACE organizations explain PACE from a financial planning point of view.


Flow Chart of PACE Provider Application Process 

Enrollment and Ongoing Operations

Early in the program’s operations, the organization will need to focus on building its census.  During this time it is also important to ensure that planned systems and procedures for establishing the interdisciplinary team, integrating services and allocating resources are working effectively.

As the program matures, the PACE program continues to build upon and improve existing operations, increase census and consider plans for future expansion.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the state will continue ongoing monitoring of the program.  The PACE program will be responsible for meeting evolving state and federal regulatory requirements.

A Curriculum Development Guide for Training Health Professionals in Interdisciplinary Geriatric Care

Rural health care providers and health professionals are challenged by the dispersed populations they serve, limited access to services, and strained resources.  To overcome these challenges, providers will need to rely on interdisciplinary teams that span large distances, multiple communities, and numerous partner organizations.  The Curriculum Development Guide, developed with funding from the Health Resources and Service Administration, provides educators and rural health care organizations with learning objectives and modules for training a range of health professionals in the fundamentals of interdisciplinary geriatric care.  The guide is designed to be flexible and adaptable to accommodate the learning objectives of a range of disciplines at varied levels of experience and professional development.  Health professional educators and rural health care providers are expected to collaborate together to modify and expand its contents.

Click here for a copy of the guide.  Click here for instructions on assembling the guide.