DHG Healthcare, a company that provides advisory and accounting services to the healthcare community, has released a study on developing a clinically integrated network and how to ensure its success.
Here are seven success factors for creating short term wins within a clinically integrated network mentioned in the report.
1. Align health system objectives with the clinically integrated network vision and strategy to avoid conflicting messages. Because developing a clinically integrated network is a transformational change in the way a health system operates, it is important that the hospital and health system leadership ensure the local goals align with the vision and strategy of the network so as not to impede any short-term successes that can help a system gain useful momentum.
2. Involve physician leaders in integration efforts to gain physician support for program objectives. Physician-hospital alignment based on trust and transparency is vital to a system's success. Physician leaders should have an influence in the future direction of the network and are critical in the development of a clinically integrated network.
3. Encourage the creation of a new partnership model with employed and independent physicians with defined roles for physician leaders. A high level of interdependence is imperative to clinically integrated networks because they are built on partnerships between the stakeholders and the hospital — in addition to its employed physicians and independent practitioners. Leadership positions must then be reserved or created for those physicians in order to increase ownership and accountability throughout the organization.
4. Track and monitor clinical data across ambulatory, acute and post-acute services. Measuring quality outcomes across all areas of a network means an investment in technical infrastructure such as EHRs or patient registries. Sharing vital patient information between providers enables providers to communicate across multiple facilities and manage complex patients. Furthermore, because in some markets payment models are shifting, it is vital to track quality outcomes for future reimbursement.
5. Develop a list of metrics that provide value to multiple stakeholders and positions in the network for greater accountability. Because of the large number of stakeholders with varying interests, not all metrics will appeal to every stakeholder. Thus, selecting metrics that align with the clinically integrated network's vision and strategy and that also appeal to a large portion of physicians within the network is instrumental in ensuring majority satisfaction across the network.
6. Create effective communication across all stakeholders to increase understanding of key issues. Transparency is vitally important in managing any healthcare system. This means a clear understanding of the network's goals and initiatives by all network stakeholders, business entities, physicians and hospital staff, which will enable a dialogue and partnership formation throughout the implementation process.
7. Commit to approaching payers and employers in the market as a combined network. Jointly contracting with payers and employers requires trust and transparency among the integrated physicians and health systems. Hospitals and physicians will need to be confident in the value their network can provide in the market through higher quality and reduced costs in order to successfully contract as a collective entity.
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