Cigna (NYSE: CI) and Skylands
Medical Group, an independent, primary care-based, multi-specialty
medical group, have launched a collaborative
care initiative to improve patient access to health care,
enhance care coordination, and achieve the goal of improved
health, affordability and patient experience. The
program became effective July 1 and is Cigna's fifth collaborative care
arrangement in New Jersey. There are now 100 of these arrangements
nationwide.
Cigna Collaborative Care is the company’s approach to
accomplishing the same population health goals as accountable care
organizations, or ACOs. The program will benefit more than
5,000 individuals covered by a Cigna health plan who receive care from
nearly 20 Skylands primary care doctors.
In places where it’s been introduced, Cigna Collaborative Care is helping
to improve the health of Cigna customers while holding the line on
medical costs. The programs are helping to close gaps in care, such
as missed health screenings or prescription refills, reducing
unnecessary use of hospital emergency rooms, increasing the number of
preventive health visits and improving follow-up care for people
transitioning from the hospital to home.
“Skylands Medical Group is committed to helping our patients improve
their lives through the quality care we deliver every day,” said Donna
McCloskey, director of Patient Centered Medical Home. “By working
collaboratively with Cigna and focusing on improved care coordination
and preventive care, we hope to drive even higher quality of care,
better health and an enhanced patient experience.”
“This collaboration presents an excellent opportunity to help create a
better health care delivery system,” said Ronald Menzin, M.D., Cigna’s
senior medical director for New Jersey. “When we reward doctors for
results and focus on prevention, wellness, health improvement and care
coordination, we can create a system that works for everyone who uses,
pays for or delivers health care.”
Under the program, Skylands Medical Group will monitor and coordinate
all aspects of an individual’s medical care. Patients will continue to
go to their current Skylands physician and automatically receive the
benefits of the program. Individuals who are enrolled in a Cigna health
plan and later choose to seek care from a Skylands doctor will also have
access to the benefits of the program. There are no changes in any plan
requirements regarding referrals to specialists. Patients most likely to
see the immediate benefits of the program are those who need help
managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
Critical to the program’s benefits are the registered nurse clinical
care coordinators, employed by Skylands, who will help patients with
chronic conditions or other health challenges navigate the health care
system. The care coordinators are aligned with a team of Cigna case
managers to ensure a high degree of collaboration between the medical
group and Cigna, which will ultimately provide a better experience for
the individual.
The care coordinators will enhance care by using patient-specific data
from Cigna to help identify patients being discharged from the hospital
who might be at risk for readmission, as well as patients who may be
overdue for important health screenings or who may have skipped a
prescription refill. The care coordinators are part of the physician-led
care team that will help patients get the follow-up care or screenings
they need, identify potential complications related to medications and
help prevent chronic conditions from worsening.
Care coordinators can also help patients schedule appointments, provide
health education and refer patients to Cigna's clinical support
programs, such as disease management programs for diabetes, heart
disease and other conditions; and lifestyle management programs, such as
programs for tobacco cessation, weight management and stress management.
Cigna will compensate Skylands for the medical and care coordination
services it provides. Additionally, the medical group may be rewarded
through a “pay for value” structure if it meets targets for improving
quality and lowering medical costs.
Cigna has been at the forefront of the accountable care organization
movement since 2008 and now has 100 Cigna
Collaborative Care arrangements with large physician groups that
span 27 states, reach more than one million commercial customers and
encompass more than 39,000 doctors, including more than 19,000 primary
care physicians and more than 20,000 specialists.
Cigna Collaborative Care is one component of the company's approach to
physician engagement for health improvement, which also includes the
innovative Cigna-HealthSpring® care model for Medicare customers. Today,
more than 1.3 million Cigna and Cigna-HealthSpring customers benefit
from 265 engaged physician relationships across 31 states, with more
than 66,000 doctors participating, including more than 25,000 primary
care physicians and more than 41,000 specialists.
About Skylands Medical Group
Skylands Medical Group is an independent, primary care based,
multi-specialty medical group experienced in responding to our
communities’ changing needs by providing appropriate quality health care
in a cost-effective manner throughout the greater Northwest New Jersey
area. www.skylandsmedicalgroup.com
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company
dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense
of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or
through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including
Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life
Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna
Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include
an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental,
behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other
related products including group life, accident and disability
insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and
jurisdictions, and has more than 80 million customer relationships
throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to
follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2014