ABSTRACT

One of the most promising innovations and opportunities for goal alignment in the health system is Clinical Co-Management. More specifically, Clinical Co-Management is a means for the hospital and its medical staff to share the responsibility of both the administrative and clinical oversight of either a particular service line or an entire facility. Clinical Co-Management is becoming an increasingly popular model to integrate and coordinate healthcare activities. The concept of Clinical Co-Management is not new in and of itself, but interest in the model has grown since health-care reform and since CMS proposed regulatory changes in 2008 that would make Clinical Co-Management Agreements (CCMAs) more feasible and attractive. CCMAs allow physicians that are involved in a particular line of service to manage its outcomes and efficiency, thereby placing greater responsibility in the hands of the clinical experts that direct the care of the hospital’s patients. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.