Arkansas Health Network and Arkansas Children’s Care Network have partnered to offer a new and innovative health-care delivery model for self-insured employers and their participating consumers. The model addresses the rising costs of health care, plan subscribers’ health and well-being and access to primary care in the central Arkansas region.

The partnership of the two physician-led, Clinically Integrated Networks (CINs) will give health plans access to more than 430 primary care providers and 1,000 specialists, serving patients of all ages. The goal of this innovative, new population health coordinated care offering is for better patient outcomes and experiences at a lower cost to both self-funded employers and subscribers to their employee health plans.

In addition to the more than 1,400 providers, the high-performing adult and pediatric networks jointly would include all CHI St. Vincent locations in Arkansas, Conway Regional Medical Center, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Arkansas Children’s Northwest.

“This delivery model available to area employers is intended to achieve the results that self-funded health plans are seeking: better health and well-being, lower costs and a better patient experience,” said Bob Sarkar, president of Arkansas Health Network. “Our physician-led advanced coordinated care approach helps drive savings because patient outcomes are better and health services are streamlined and effectively utilized. We are eager to share our proven competencies with self-insured employers throughout the region in order to create healthier communities.”

The offering will be available to employers starting Jan. 1.

"This partnership makes sense because we share a common goal: to see generations of healthier Arkansans who receive excellent health care at a lower cost," said Rob Steele, MD, president of Arkansas Children's Care Network. "By working together, Arkansas Health Network and Arkansas Children's Care Network are able to create a health-care delivery model where that's a reality." 

Arkansas Health Network is the only Medicare Shared Savings Program-Accountable Care Organization in Arkansas to have earned shared savings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Arkansas Children’s Care Network is the only statewide pediatric CIN in the country. Each network offers a multidisciplinary team of RN health coaches, social workers, transition coaches and other health-care providers, dedicated to improving employee wellbeing and decreasing employer health costs.

The partnership brings together CINs with collaboration experience with self-funded employers and commercial and governmental payors, including Medicare and Medicaid populations. Using a multidisciplinary approach and advanced analytical software, the partnership helps employers create a healthier workforce.

For more information about the new program, visit ArkansasHealthNetwork.com/Employers.