CBH Practitioner Conection
Volume XXIII, 3rd Quarter

Planning For Participant Safety – An Update

Network-wide, safe clinical practices help to reduce risk of harm to participants. For this reason, CIGNA Behavioral Health (CBH) encourages continuity and coordination of care, use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, and timely access to qualified facilities and practitioners. 

Annually, CBH collects information on actions taken to improve participant safety and to assess areas of opportunity for further improvement. In May 2007, approximately 1,100 acute and residential facilities received surveys and, once tallied and analyzed, the results will be reported in an upcoming newsletter. In 2005 and 2006, CBH began development and validation of performance metrics appropriate for use at the individual practitioner level and, in 2007, practitioner focus groups will be engaged to provide input and feedback on the quality and safety data that we anticipate will be made available to participants and practitioners on the CBH website in 2008.

 Facility Performance Evaluation

Previous network surveys have shown that contracted facilities have well-defined processes for addressing participant safety issues and strong organizational commitments to participant safety. CBH plans to publish an ongoing facility newsletter that provides performance data and a discussion of topical issues. An updated “Facility Communications Protocol” that reports on clinical and service metrics during facility teleconference calls and face-to-face meetings is now in use to consistently engage facilities in active dialogue regarding their performance, with the goal of achieving better clinical and service outcomes for our participants. In addition, a plan is being developed to measure the effect of specific interventions over time.

Practitioner Performance Evaluation

Measuring individual practitioner performance is a challenge, particularly in behavioral health. CBH continues to identify and test broad indicators of quality and in fourth quarter of 2007, plans to engage network practitioners in a focus group format to obtain their feedback and recommendations for use of the information.

Other Featured Articles:

INFORMING PARTICIPANT OF TREATMENT CHOICES

NATIONAL CARE CENTER DEPRESSION PREVENTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM

WORK/LIFE RESOURCES: ENHANCING THE EAP PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCE

TIPS FOR COMPLETING CMS1500 FORM

CARE ADVOCACY PROGRAM (CAP): OUTPATIENT REVIEW PROCESS

FACTS ABOUT RE-CREDENTIALING

RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE 

DEPRESSION SCREENING IN MEDICAL DISEASE MANAGEMENT

ADVANTAGES OF INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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