Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • October 30, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 21 www.HartfordBusiness.com October 30, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 25 SPONSORED CONTENT L eadership on a national scale is the penultimate pillar in Trinity Health Of New England's PEOPLE-centered strategy. This component of its strategic plan reflects the vision and commitment to make Trinity Health and Catholic-based health care a true leader in the national conversation about health care. As a mission-driven, innovative health care organization, Trinity Health Of New England has embarked on a journey to be a national leader in improving the health of the communities and the people it serves. Two of its entities are already recognized as national leaders in their fields and are quickly and quietly pursuing paths to expand their footprints outside of Hartford and beyond Connecticut. Continued > Innovation In Joint Replacement The Connecticut Joint Replacement Institute (CJRI) at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford has been a national leader and innovator for patients needing total joint replacement since its launch in 2007. In 2006, a team of 10 orthopedic surgeons created its own corporation — Connecticut Joint Replacement Surgeons LLC — and developed a co-management agreement with Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center. Under the agreement, the hospital would provide administrative and managerial services to support CJRI surgeons who would be employed by the LLC. The CJRI management model is unique, but one that can be developed within any organization, according to Dr. Steven Schutzer, medical director and CJRI co-founder. "It's a great model. We're asked to be on many national panels because we're community orthopedic surgeons who have put together a world-class program." Adding greatly to CJRI's success is the surgeons' agreement to make data- driven decisions and follow a standardized care plan. At present, CJRI has 18 different protocols that surgeons adhere to, including delivery of antibiotics and blood-control mechanisms for diabetics. Data is used to leverage cooperation among surgeons, who are given spreadsheets covering the month's outcomes, giving them insight as to how they performed. The arrangement has worked so well that spine surgeons and sports-medicine doctors at Saint Francis have copied its blueprint, expanding the program to include three major institutes under the orthopedic umbrella. With its focus on quality, CJRI was one of the first in the United States to develop and market a bundled payment plan for joint replacement surgery in 2012 — three years before the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed bundled payments in select cities. Today, CJRI has bundled payment agreements in place with seven different insurance payers. Each bundled payment plan has an overarching goal to create sustainable health care value by focusing on improving safety and patient outcomes, and controlling costs. The bundled payment method offers a single fee for multiple providers that are involved in a patient's care, including the hospital and physicians, and covers the entire episode of care. Earlier this year the institute was re-certified in compliance with the International Standards Organization's (ISO) 9001:2015 standard for health care. First certified in 2014 as an ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System- compliant organization, CJRI is the only health care facility in Connecticut to be ISO compliant. There are approximately 500 health care providers nationwide with this distinction. The three-year re-certification is awarded after successful completion of an intensive audit of workflows, quality and safety- measurement tools. ISO certification is a rigorous process in which a hospital continually improves and monitors the delivery of patient care, standardizes key processes, measures quality, and places great emphasis on eliminating and preventing errors. "CJRI has a long-standing reputation as a high-quality, comprehensive, efficient, state-of-the-art facility. ISO certification has been an integral aspect of transitioning from a good to a great institute," said Dr. Schutzer. Dr. Steven Schutzer showcases the work of CJRI to a delegation from China - one of many international groups that are seeking to replicate the CJRI business model.

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