Clinical Integration: 7 Myths and a Blueprint for Success, a white paper from athenahealth, calls attention to three key areas of alignment in order to achieve a successful clinically integrated network. In our early stages as a pediatric-focused clinically integrated network, we are spending time to focus on each of them:
- Incentives: Members of a clinically integrated network work together to establish a clear, measurable picture of success so they know the exact goals and benefits of what they are individually and collectively trying to achieve. CHN’s Clinical Management Data & IT Committee is responsible for selecting areas for focused clinical improvement, as well as developing, implementing and monitoring compliance with evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, designed to achieve high-quality patient care and cost containment objectives.
- Knowledge: One major goal of CHN is to share information across multiple practices in our community, resulting in more coordinated care for our pediatric patients. Collaborating in this way provides an outstanding opportunity for CHN and its members to progress to the next level of integration.
- Behavior: The goal of aligning incentives and sharing knowledge is to produce a change in behavior, one that ultimately results in integrated care for patients that lowers costs. By aligning incentives, sharing information and standardizing processes in active and ongoing management of pediatric diseases, members of CHN will ultimately improve the overall health of our pediatric population.