Fletcher Allen Health Care, Central Vermont Medical Center and Cigna Bring Accountable Care to Vermont

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. & BURLINGTON, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Cigna (CI), Fletcher Allen Health Care and Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) have launched a collaborative accountable care program to expand patient access to health care, improve care coordination, and achieve the triple aim of improved health outcomes (quality), lower total medical costs and increased patient satisfaction. Collaborative accountable care is Cigna's approach to achieving the same population health goals as accountable care organizations, or ACOs.

Accountable care is a variation on the patient-centered medical home model of health care already in place at both Fletcher Allen and CVMC. This model rewards primary care doctors for improved outcomes and reduced medical costs. Cigna's collaboration with Fletcher Allen and CVMC is one of the first patient-centered accountable care programs in Vermont involving an integrated delivery system and a health plan.

The program will benefit approximately 10,500 individuals covered by a Cigna health plan in Vermont who receive care from among 144 primary care health professionals at 21 practice locations.

This agreement with Cigna is part of Fletcher Allens comprehensive strategy to be a leader in the transformation of health care, said John Brumsted, M.D., Fletcher Allens president and chief executive officer. Cignas program is consistent with our ongoing efforts to work with all stakeholders to make Vermonts future health care delivery system fulfill the promise of higher quality care, improved access and reduced rates of increasing costs.

The joint collaboration of CVMC and Fletcher Allen with Cigna and their accountable care program is another great example of the value of the integrated delivery system that we created with Fletcher Allen Partners last October, said Judy Tartaglia, president and chief executive officer, CVMC. We are just beginning to see the potential that can be achieved by this system in the years ahead.

Fletcher Allen and CVMC health care professionals will monitor and coordinate an individuals medical care in a more comprehensive way with support from Cigna tools and information resources. Patients will continue to go to their current physician and will automatically receive the benefits of the program. There also 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 or heart disease.

Critical to the programs benefits are registered nurse clinical care coordinators who help patients with chronic conditions or other health challenges navigate the health care system. The care coordinators enhance care by using patient-specific data from both organizations and from Cigna to 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 will work collaboratively with the Primary Care Medical Home and Community Health Teams regionally to help patients get the follow-up care or screenings they need, identify any issues related to medications and help prevent chronic conditions from worsening.

The care coordinators will also help patients schedule appointments, provide health education and refer patients to Cigna's clinical 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.

Through our collaborative accountable care programs, Cigna hopes to create a patient-centered health care system that emphasizes prevention and primary care while rewarding physicians for quality of care and improved health outcomes, said Dr. Robert Hockmuth, Cignas senior medical director in Vermont. A system thats focused on delivering value rather than volume of services will ultimately result in a healthier population and lower medical costs, which is good for individuals, families, employers and doctors.