CIHCN

Description

CHPR has multi-year funding from the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for a Special Project of National Significance (SPNS) grant.

The goals of CIHCN are to:

  • Demonstrate the feasibility of integrating HIV care networks to improve the quality, capacity, and coordination of their care by: reengineering the care continuum based on a managed care model, adopting sound business practices, optimizing resources, minimizing organizational redundancy, enhancing linkages, and integrating funding streams;
  • Enhance the ability of HIV networks to compete successfully in a managed care environment via strategic partnerships; and
  • Expand the ability of managed care plans to serve HIV-infected individuals by contracting with HIV care networks.

What Are Integrated HIV Care Networks?

An integrated care network offers comprehensive services to a defined population. The networks have a centralized structure that coordinates and integrates services provided by member organizations and clinicians participating in the network. While these organizations may have independent corporate structures and missions, they collaborate and coordinate their services with other organizations to meet the comprehensive needs of their service populations. CIHCN staff has summarized various network models in several of its publications.

Project Team

CIHCN is a multi-disciplinary team with the diverse skills and practical experience required to successfully form networks. A team of highly experienced consultants and trainers offers expertise in network development, managed care program design, contract negotiation, HIV financing and policy, HIV clinical care, health law, cost estimation, MIS, QA, and evaluation. The CIHCN team includes staff of CHPR, The Lewin Group, and American Express Tax and Business Service. The practical experience of peer trainers is also drawn upon to participate in CIHCN activities.

Network Demonstration Sites

CIHCN has provided intensive integrated network development TA and training to three network demonstration sites:

  • The Michigan Network, AIDS service organizations located throughout Michigan,
  • SIBRO, a multi-agency network in the Staten Island and Lower Brooklyn boroughs of New York City, and
  • LinkCare, a multi-agency network in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley/Capital region.

These network demonstration sites represent a diverse geographic, demographic, and service mix, managed care and HIV care delivery systems, organizational environments, and integrated HIV care network models.

TA and Training Activities

The team applies a client-centered consultative model to assist HIV care providers to develop networks. The CICHN team is focusing their training, TA, and consultative services on three audiences. Federal and State policymakers in the three selected states receive TA as required to identify and overcome legislative, financing, policy, and other barriers to establishing and financing networks. The team offers TA in policy development, program design, funding integration, contracting, purchasing specifications, and legislative development. Local HIV delivery systems have received network readiness assessments to determine the scope of TA required and to establish TA workplans. Based on these assessments, network members receive intensive training and TA from the CIHCN team and peer trainers. Peer training is a key project element to ensure relevant, practical advice in network design, governance, and operations. The workplans are adjusted as the networks evolve in their organizational development and in response to environmental factors, such as requirements for contracting with managed care plans.

CIHCN also is conducting Executive Training Programs (ETPs) across the US to assist HIV providers in a city, region, or state to develop formal integrated care networks. A practical, interactive training and strategic planning approach is used to assist agencies interested in forming networks to efficiently and effectively provide HIV care through new organizational models and participation in managed care and other financing systems. During the ETP, the CIHCN team works with providers to identify goals and objectives for their network, discuss various network design options, identify steps necessary to implement the network, and develop a workplan for network implementation. The ETP is designed to benefit from the experiences of three successful demonstration projects supported by CIHCN in Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. Real world problems likely to be encountered by networks and solutions developed by the demonstration networks are discussed. ETPs have been scheduled in Los Angeles County, the Orange County Florida Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA) and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

TA and Training Materials Available On Various Aspects of Integrated Network Development

The CIHCN team has developed a variety of resources for dissemination to HIV care providers interested in developing integrated HIV care networks.

For Additional Information About CIHCN Contact:

Marcia Wilson, MBA
CHPR, GWU
2021 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington DC 20006
(202) 530-2316 (T)
(202) 296-0025 (F)
mjwilson@gwu.edu