Cropped Photo of doctor holding stethoscope

The Facts

What is SCICN?

  • Southern California Integrated Care Network (SCICN) is a clinical integration network (CIN) of independent physicians serving the residents of Southern California.
  • Clinical integration is a collaborative effort among physicians and hospitals to use evidence-based quality initiatives to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare while controlling costs.
  • SCICN provides independent physicians the opportunity to collectively negotiate with fee-for-service health plans while demonstrating their ability to achieve certain quality benchmarks.
  • The network includes members of the medical staffs of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Camarillo Hospital.

What SCICN isn’t

  • Capitation
  • Led by the hospitals
  • Physician employment
  • Costly to physicians
  • An agreement that will put individual physician fees at risk
  • Health plan/payer

Why physicians join SCICN

  • Clinical integration is a proven method to improve the quality and cost of patient care.
  • The network provides a support system for private practice physicians facing healthcare reform challenges.
  • Independent physicians are able to jointly contract with health plans for commercial patients, with recognition for achievement of quality benchmarks.
  • Physicians receive access to business intelligence information technology.
  • Physicians also receive visibility across the full continuum of care.

Benefits of joining SCICN

Membership in SCICN offers physicians:

  • Access to a robust, effective, RN-led care coordination team to help identify and manage their high-risk patients.
  • Free, no-risk training ground to collaborate with other physicians to learn to effectively manage patients in the new healthcare environment.
  • Collaboration with other physicians who are committed to improve quality care and patient outcomes, as well as the efficiency of care provided.
  • MIPS support and staff education through regular Lunch & Learn meetings.
  • Primary care providers receive CGCAHPS patient satisfaction survey services through Press Ganey Associates.
  • Membership also provides credit towards the Clinical Practice Improvement Activity (CPIA) domain of MIPS.

SCICN management

  • SCICN is physician-led. Its Board of Managers is physician-dominated with one hospital representative.
  • SCICN is sponsored by the St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Camarillo Hospital.

Zero enrollment costs

  • There are no enrollment costs.
  • There are no ongoing participation fees.

Did you know?

  • Membership in Southern California Integrated Care Network (SCICN) does not interfere with pre-existing health plan contracts or other clinical integration programs, accountable care organizations (ACO), independent practice associations (IPA), physician organizations (PO) or physician hospital organizations (PHO) in which physicians may already participate
  • SCICN will focus on new and innovative payer agreements available only
    through SCICN.
  • Each potential payer agreement with SCICN is carefully reviewed by the physician board to ensure it presents a real or potential benefit to physicians.
  • Members can terminate their participation any time for any reason upon 60 days’ notice.
  • All quality initiatives and physician participation criteria are developed by SCICN physicians.
  • Any information shared with SCICN is confidential. It is used to measure performance and identify opportunities for improvement, to assist in improving quality scores and for demonstrating the overall performance of SCICN to the community.
  • SCICN has formed an accountable care organization (ACO) and is participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Participation in SCICN’s ACO requires a separate addendum to the Participation Agreement.