Hartford Business Journal

13 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JUNE 14, 2021 PHOTO | COSTAR Hartford HealthCare's recent expansion included opening its Bloomfield Digestive Health Center in April. revenue. In fiscal 2020, the Hartford HealthCare system, which employs 33,000 people, reported $4.3 billion in operating revenue. "That's progress, that's been purposeful. It's by design," Flaks said. "It's how we're transitioning this organization to being able to deliver more affordable care: in the community, in highly specialized facilities." As the system's physical imprint has grown, the Hartford HealthCare Medical group has also expanded, adding 677 providers in 2020 as it acquired physician practices across the state. The system is also pursuing integration of care from the ground up — most recently through the acquisition of Hunter's Ambulance Service of Meriden. The purchase was finalized in early June and will allow HHC providers to begin care with mobile EKG monitoring the moment an ambulance arrives at a 911 call. "The level of innovation in health care is really like never before and these types of alliances and partnerships allow us to do even more," Flaks said. "How we transform health care is going to be done by reorganizing how clinical care is delivered." Balancing cost and quality Expansion on the part of health systems and the integration of care through technology and partnerships is an ongoing trend and a positive if it leads to lower costs and better treatment, said Angela Mattie, a professor of management at Quinnipiac University who focuses on the health industry. (Mattie also serves on the board of Trinity Health of New England, but was speaking solely in her capacity as an academic.) "We always want to look at these business decisions through a lens of value," Mattie said. "Is it providing lower cost and better quality to the public? That's where our analysis should be. If the answer is yes, then it's a good thing." Existing issues around cost, access and quality have been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought out the stark differences in how different communities experienced a health crisis. The pandemic may ultimately help the healthcare industry address issues around health disparities, Mattie said. Meantime, many experts predicted the pandemic would deal a crushing blow to hospital finances given the long shutdown in elective surgeries, typically revenue drivers. Without major cost cuts or any layoffs, Hartford HealthCare reported a small profit for the fiscal year ending in 2020, Flaks said, and expects to be back to "more traditional levels of profitability" in the current fiscal year. Surgery volume saw a year-over-year increase as the pandemic waned. Even as some service lines at the system have returned to pre- pandemic levels, emergency room volume has only recovered to 90%. The volume at HHC's urgent care centers, however, is up almost 200%. "It's a good example of something we have worked hard, historically, to achieve," Flaks said of the transition to urgent care centers, which cost much less to operate. "The pandemic accelerated it." The pandemic also spurred HHC to partner with community groups and expand to mobile clinics to provide COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, which will have a long-term impact on how care is delivered. "The idea of how we delivered testing and vaccines is now going to transform how we deliver mobile, community-based health care for things like diabetes screening, bariatric screening, certain aspects of primary care, prostate health, mammography and a whole series of services," Flaks said. "We now have the capacity to ... reach people where they are through partnerships with community leaders." Angela Mattie 231,000 SF 2-sided loading 267,000 SF Approved for outside storage 0 6 6 7 - 6 8 2 - 0 6 8 www.indusrt.com All utilities at sites Potential town & state economic incentives Access to Bradley International Airport & the I-91, I-84 & I-90 corridors Other sites available for sale or build-to-suit lease Fully approved industrial zoned sites available in Windsor, CT We're Shovel-Ready To Go! 775 Marshall Phelps Road 11 Goodwin Drive

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