Integrated clinical management: a model for clinical integration.

Abstract

The article describes a successful model for clinical integration that has improved utilization rates, service levels, physician and staff satisfaction, and the financial performance of physician groups and health plans. The model for clinical integration provides processes of medical management, care management, and patient management that are designed to transform a traditionally fragmented delivery system into a more cohesive system where everyone is working toward a common objective with aligned incentives. Links are established among primary care physicians, specialists, and hospitals to create synergistic relationships and seamless, accessible care for members.