Cigna is committed to assessing the continuity and coordination of care our customers experience when moving between health care practitioners and across settings as their conditions and care needs change during the course of a chronic or acute illness. If disruptions and delays in treatment can be avoided potentially poor outcomes can be averted. Disruptions in care and lack of timely communication may result in delays in treatment and poor health outcomes for customers. Good continuity and coordination of care is necessary regardless of the number of medical specialties or medical and behavioral specialties utilized by the patient. Through communication, planning, and collaboration, continuity and coordination can be achieved and ultimately meet the patient's needs.

The most commonly identified barriers to coordination of care include:

• Lack of recognition for the need to communicate;
• No means for communicating information; and
• Lack of awareness that other providers were involved in the care.

To help facilitate communication between providers, Cigna has developed communication tools which are available to download. These tools may serve as a model for exchanging clinical information throughout the coordination of care:

• Asthma Emergency Department Visit Continuity and Coordination Form
• Behavioral and Primary Care Physician (PCP) Communication Tool
• Cardiac Care Form
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Continuity and Coordination Form
• Diabetes Flow Sheet
• Diabetes Retinal Exam Continuity and Coordination Form
• Specialty Visit Follow up Continuity and Coordination Form
• Urgent Care or Emergency Department Discharge Continuity and Coordination Form

Behavioral conditions often present in primary care settings. Cigna's behavioral website contains links and resources intended to support Primary Care Physicians in assessing, treating, and/or referring commonly seen behavioral conditions.