THP’s clinical integration program embraces the following key elements, all of which require the active and ongoing participation and leadership of THP's member physicians.

1. Web-based Health Information Technology
   THP’s clinical integration program will be built around web-based health information technology that allows for the exchange of patient treatment and medical management information.
   
   
2. Development of Clinical Guidelines
   THP’s physician led Quality Improvement Committee will review patient utilization and compliance data from within the community and determine where performance improvement will have the greatest quality and financial impact.
   
   With the assistance of other physician colleagues serving on ad-hoc committees, they will then:
   
   • review the appropriateness of existing clinical guidelines
   • develop, if necessary, additional THP-specific clinical guidelines
   
   This committee will periodically review THP-specific clinical guidelines to ensure that expected performance from these additional guidelines has been met, and if not, will revisit to consider modification of the guideline in question.
   
   
3. Physician Education and Training
   The Quality Improvement Committee will educate and train THP's physicians how to use and adopt the clinical guidelines. Training will include the use of web-based health information technology to apply these clinical guidelines to patient care and to create interdependence within the member physician network in delivery of medical care.
   
   
4. Performance Monitoring and Feedback
   Monitoring the effectiveness of each clinical guideline, the Quality Improvement Committee will provide feedback to member physicians, comparing actual performance to the performance goals for THP.
   
   A performance improvement program consisting of peer education and coaching will ensure that THP physicians make progress towards meeting quality and efficiency goals.
   
   
5. Integration of Payers/Employers
   THP will integrate each payer and employer in the clinical integration program, sharing network performance reports and seeking their recommendations for improvements and modifications to the quality improvement initiatives. THP will also engage these customers in the medical management program.
   
   
6. Medical Management – Physician Services Integration
   THP will fully integrate medical management with its physician services. The Quality Assurance/Utilization Management Committee will oversee the design of THP’s medical management program as well as oversee the delivery of these services.
   
   Patients who would benefit from disease and case management will be identified and engaged in cost-effective preventive care, ultimately avoiding high-cost adverse incidents.
   
   
7. Linking Physicians with Local Pharmacists
   Physicians will work with local pharmacists through THP’s Pharmacy Benefits Management Committee to develop appropriate cost-effective prescribing policies and medical necessity criteria for high-dollar drugs. In addition, physicians will develop initiatives for educating colleagues and patients about generic drug alternatives. The Pharmacy Benefits Management Committee will monitor patient medication compliance and will work with patients and physicians to improve compliance.
   
   
8. Oversight
   The Clinical Integration Oversight Committee will provide oversight to THP’s clinical integration program at all stages. The Quality Improvement, Pharmacy Benefits Management and Quality Assurance/Utilization Management Committees directly report to this committee on a regular basis.