The Arkansas Children's Care Network will fundamentally transform healthcare delivery for the children of Arkansas through a Clinically Integrated Network (CIN) comprised of health care professionals who provide coordinated and accountable pediatric care supported by a sustainable financial model. This network will improve quality, access, patient/family experience, and affordability of health care while also increasing physician engagement and satisfaction. ACCN will be the nation's first statewide pediatric CIN, promoting collaboration among primary care and specialty providers who treat children across Arkansas. ACCN will enable its partners to work together in a clinically integrated manner, using common health protocols and pathways so that each child receives quality care at the most appropriate location.
With the transition to risk-based alternative payment models, it is important that primary-care practices stay ahead by joining a Clinically Integrated Network (CIN). CIN participation prevents the negative adjustments to physician payments associated with risk-based contracts. The Arkansas Children's Care Network (ACCN) will help primary-care physicians perform under new models of care at the highest levels of success.
ACCN is the nation's first statewide pediatric Clinically Integrated Network (CIN) to help measurably elevate the quality of health care for kids in Arkansas. This selective physician-led partnership of providers will collaborate to deliver evidence-based care, improve quality, efficiency, and coordination of care, and demonstrate value to the market.
Interested in becoming a part of the nation’s first statewide pediatric clinically integrated network? Please contact us to discuss your membership.
The ACCN will provide value to a broad constituency of stakeholders, including:
The ACCN will provide Pediatric Providers:
ACCN providers will work collaboratively to establish clinical practice guidelines, to create a high degree of transparency and visibility with respect to practice patterns, as well as the collective achievement of patient care, quality, and cost goals. In addition, providers will establish measures for individual and group performance benchmarking, monitoring individual and group compliance with ACCN standards.
Your partnership will provide:
To date, physician leaders from private practices throughout the state and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) specialties, as well as administrative leaders from Arkansas Children's have met multiple times to create Arkansas Children's Care Network (ACCN) and guide start-up priorities required to operationalize ACCN. Additionally, ACCN's physician majority, physician-led board, which includes physician members from across Arkansas, has been convened. Physician-led board committees will oversee the development of initiatives across clinical care, finance and operations, contracting, IT and data management, and network development.
Physician-led board committees will oversee the development of initiatives across clinical care, finance and operations, contracting, IT and data management, and network development. ACCN board members are identified by an asterisk (*) in the following committee rosters. A brief description of committee objectives highlight the key discussion points for each of the groups. The subject matter experts on the various committees are all non-voting members, but provide valuable expertise to support and inform the members.
What is a “Clinically Integrated Network” (CIN)?
A legal entity formed through a collaborative agreement among providers focused on enhancing quality and delivering cost-effective care through the development of clinical pathways, sharing of patient information, and monitoring of performance. CINs allow providers to keep their independence while coming together to jointly contract, deliver, and demonstrate value to payors, employers, and individuals seeking value-based care.
What is Arkansas Children’s Care Network (ACCN)?
This is the first statewide pediatric CIN in the nation. Pediatricians, family practice physicians, specialists, and advanced practitioners are coming together to help measurably elevate the quality of health care for kids in Arkansas.
Why should pediatric providers join ACCN?
The healthcare environment continues to adapt to the evolving needs of patients and families all across Arkansas. Providers are preparing for the transition to population health and value-based care; this includes participating in programs developed by Medicaid and commercial payors to provide more cost-effective, higher quality care to children. ACCN provides an extraordinary opportunity for providers to collaborate and coordinate care across all four corners of the state as members of a CIN.
By joining ACCN, providers caring for children will work together and focus exclusively on meaningful, pediatric-specific metrics and processes to positively impact the quality and cost of pediatric care in Arkansas and be at the forefront of developing and deploying new care models, clinical programs, and value-based reimbursement models.
Why should I join ACCN if the future of healthcare is so uncertain?
While we cannot predict what will happen nationally under new federal government administration, nor within Arkansas with the 2017 legislative session, there will undeniably be value in joining a pediatric network which supports providers in delivering high quality, cost-effective care to children across Arkansas.
Will physicians be involved in the development and leadership of ACCN?
To date, a Steering Committee and workgroups comprised of physician leaders from private practices throughout the state and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) specialties, as well as executive leaders from Arkansas Children's have met multiple times to create the vision for ACCN and guide start-up priorities required to operationalize ACCN. Additionally, ACCN will be governed by a physician majority, physician-led board, which will include physician members from across Arkansas. Physician-led board committees will oversee the development of initiatives across clinical care, finance and operations, contracting, IT and analytics, and network development.
What is expected of me as a network participant?
As an ACCN member, you'll be expected to participate in all ACCN payor contracts, maintain infrastructure to document and share patient information, and comply with performance standards and clinical pathways. More details regarding expectations are outlined in the participation agreement.
Is there a membership fee to join ACCN?
There is no fee for membership.
How will joining ACCN change the way that I contract?
ACCN will negotiate new value-based contracts on behalf of participating providers. ACCN providers will continue to contract separately from ACCN for all fee-for-service contracts and share in any savings generated from value-based contracts due to improved quality and decreased costs.
Will my practice need to care for children up to the age of 21?
Your practice will not be asked to care for children of ages previously not seen within your practice.
Will I have to incorporate any new technology?
The physician-led workgroups and Steering Committee are currently determining what data and analytics, as well as infrastructure, will be required to support ACCN and any potential cost implications.
How can ACCN help me reduce my administrative burden?
ACCN will provide practices with data, reporting, and tools, allowing for a greater focus on care delivery. The physician-led workgroups and Steering Committee are currently developing recommendations around IT, data, and care management to help practices reduce their administrative burdens.
How can ACCN help me share patient information and data?
A requirement of clinical integration is the sharing of patient information and data across the network. The physician-led workgroups and Steering Committee are currently exploring options for developing mechanisms to seamlessly share information and data across the network.
Will performance be based on the practice or individual provider level?
We anticipate attributing and monitoring performance based on the individual provider level.
How will advanced practitioners participate in ACCN?
ACCN will seek to enroll advanced practitioners given the important role they play in caring for children. Under current Medicaid guidelines, advanced practitioners do not qualify as primary care providers and are therefore not directly eligible for shared savings. However, participating practices may distribute shared savings within their practices as desired.
Can I participate in other clinically integrated networks?
ACCN is a non-exclusive network and you may participate in other networks. You will be asked to disclose all accountable care and clinically integrated contracting networks in which you participate.
What will happen to my practice if I don’t join ACCN?
There's no requirement to join ACCN. Your current relationships with providers, Arkansas Children's, and payors won't be affected. Your practice will not, however, be able to participate in ACCN contracts or receive ACCN practice support.
ACCN will provide value to a broad constituency of stakeholders, including patients and families, the community, providers, Arkansas Children’s and payors / employers / networks.
Children and Families
Pediatric Providers
Arkansas Children’s
Payors / Employers / Networks
What does a Clinically Integrated Network (CIN) mean to you? How does a CIN work? In this short video, Arkansas Children's Care Network President, Dr. Robert Steele answers these questions and shares an insight into the future of pediatric care.
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