A Clinically Integrated Network (CIN) is a physician-led collaboration between Yale New Haven Health System, including Northeast Medical Group; Yale Medicine; independent physicians, and other health providers. The members share information and resources to provide a more tailored and consumer-centered experience that provides seamless whole-person care and leverages value-based contracts.
Physicians who may otherwise be considered competitors align to improve quality of care for their patients while controlling costs.
Clinically integrated networks:
Integrating healthcare providers helps advance the coordination of care for shared patients and population groups, provides cost-savings through shared resources, improves quality of care via technology and shared metrics, and positions participants to leverage value-based care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services aims to transition to value-based care, and many insurance payers have this type of agreement in place.
A board of 11 physicians and health system leaders and its committee members have established clinical guidelines and protocols, quality and participation criteria, care management and utilization programs, and the infrastructure to support it.
Participating clinicians agree to follow and support these guidelines and meet quality standards, share data, and coordinate care.
The Clinically Integrated Network negotiates contracts with third party payers and employers on behalf of the network’s members. These agreements reward good healthcare outcomes and responsible management of the cost of care.
YNHHCA helps its members succeed in value-based care contracts and offers superior care coordination with shared patients. Referrals and communication flow better with access to YNHHCA’s Epic Community Connect and other tools. Additionally, because YNHHCA takes care of contracting and coding, this administrative burden is removed, allowing participating practices cost-savings.
Members also get access to Yale New Haven Health’s unrivaled educational resources.
ACOs and CINs are similar in their goals to improve quality while reducing costs by integrating care coordination among participants. The main difference is that ACOs serve Medicare patients while CINs can serve patients covered under commercial and other payers.
Also, the legal structure of CINs is less tied to CMS guidelines than ACOs.
Join Yale New Haven Health Clinical Affiliates and enjoy the benefits of being part of an aligned network of healthcare professionals positioned to leverage value-based care.
