Dedicated to deliver better health outcomes more efficiently and at a lower cost.
With healthcare reimbursement shifting towards a “pay for performance” model and an increased focus on population health, health systems and providers are incentivized more and more to look at how they can use data, analytics, and other measures to keep patients healthy and improve patient outcomes.
This includes using big data and machine learning to identify patient trends and making more appropriate preventative health suggestions on a case-by-case basis, instead of just treating them when they fall ill.
As care delivery methods and compensation evolve, clinical integration and Clinically Integrated Networks (CIN) are being leveraged to deal with market changes, both anticipated and realized.
And while changes in the market are one big reason for the uptick in Clinical Integrated Networks in recent years – there are now around 500 CINs in existence in the United States according to Becker’s Hospital Review – many CIN members have joined networks because they believe the ultimate goals of CINs will improve the health of their patients.
What is a Clinically Integrated Network (CIN)?
“The 7 Components of a Clinical Integration Network,”
Becker’s Hospital Review defines CINs as individual providers and health systems that are collaborating strategically to do three things:
1) Improve patient care
2) Decrease the cost of care
3) Demonstrate their value to the rapidly changing market.
Why would someone join a Clinically Integrated Network?
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To improve the patient care experience.
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To improve the health of populations.
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To reduce the cost of healthcare.
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In working to achieve and prove how they are meeting the “Triple Aim,” CINs position their health systems and providers as the experts who can deliver superior care at a lower cost, which ultimately helps achieve better reimbursement rates from payers for CIN members.
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In addition to the major benefit of reimbursement rate negotiation, the coordinated efforts of CINs allow for data-driven, increasingly transparent coordination between health systems and providers, making it easier for CIN members to deliver better care across the continuum and reach their clinical and financial goals.
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CINs create mutual accountability that encourages health systems and community-based providers to deliver high-quality care efficiently and effectively. Clinically integrated networks also allow practices to remain independent while leveraging a broader community of experts.
Why do CINS matter?
In short, members of a clinically integrated network sign-on to work towards improved patient care and satisfaction and are part of a collective voice that’s defining what value means for their patient populations.
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In collaborating to determine how they can provide better care at a lower cost, CINs provide value to payers, their members, and, perhaps most importantly, to patients.