Orthopedic Surgeons’ Collaboration with Hackensack Meridian Health Saves Medicare Millions

Hackensack Meridian Health and its surgeons succeed in new Medicare program, lowering cost while improving patient outcomes.

Hackensack Meridian Health’s orthopedic surgeons are transforming the Network’s approach to orthopedic care through their participation in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) program. In the program’s second performance year, Hackensack Meridian Health and its participating surgeons saved $7.65 million among their Medicare joint replacement patients bringing their total program savings to more than $10 million. The CJR program was created to foster better and efficient care among Medicare patients receiving a hip, or knee replacement. In addition to saving millions of dollars, six of Hackensack Meridian Health’s hospitals posted above average quality scores.

Of the estimated $7.65 million in savings, Hackensack Meridian Health will receive back approximately $3.59 million, half of which will be distributed to its participating surgeons for them to invest in furthering patient care. Under the guidance and direction of its orthopedic surgeons, Hackensack Meridian Health was able to enhance its total joint replacement program through the use of advanced technology and a streamlined process that ensures patients experience seamless recovery and return to their daily routine quickly. This is a crucial development with total joint replacement becoming one of the most popular surgeries in the U.S. thanks in part to an aging and active baby boomer population.

“Our surgeons examined the entire patient journey from the moment surgery is scheduled to recovery,” said Michael Lospinuso, M.D., co-director of orthopedic care transformation service at Hackensack Meridian Health. “In partnership with our hospital and post-acute care teams, our orthopedic physician leaders were able to identify and deploy evidence-based methods that made a difference from increasing patient education to improving pain management protocols and getting our joint replacement patients moving earlier.”

Reducing the number of prescribed opioids, particularly long-lasting opioids enabled patients to walk sooner after surgery. Studies have found that early walking after surgery is crucial to the recovery process. The team also instituted new home care procedures aimed at keeping patients who live independently safe and successful in their recovery.

“Our surgeons were integral to the success of this program, helping lead Hackensack Meridian Health in a new approach to total joint replacement,” said Michael Kelly, M.D., co-director of orthopedic care transformation service at Hackensack Meridian Health. “By closely partnering with our independent physicians, Hackensack Meridian Health benefitted from their insight and engaged in open, transparent dialogue that focused on improving patient outcomes and experience. Thanks to their decades of experience and cooperative spirit, we were able to enhance care at every point of the patient’s journey.”

Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center both achieved the highest quality score possible. A feat made possible by this increased collaboration among surgeons and the health care providers involved in the patient’s care journey.

This is the second year in a row that Hackensack Meridian Health has realized savings as part of the CJR program. In its first performance period, which spanned six months, Hackensack Meridian Health saved $2.37 million and realized $1.76 million in shared savings. Hackensack University Medical Center ranked fourth in the nation for shared savings during this time while Ocean Medical Center ranked seventh out of 382 hospitals.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care.

Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 16 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children’s hospitals – Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in Neptune; nine community hospitals – Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood; and two rehabilitation hospitals – JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Additionally, the network has more than 450 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, and 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The network’s notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” one of the “20 Best Workplaces in Health Care” in the nation, and the number one “Best Place to Work for Women.” The network was also named to Becker’s Healthcare’s “150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare/2018” list.

Hackensack Meridian Health partnered with Seton Hall University to launch the first private medical school in New Jersey – Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University – in more than 50 years to address a growing shortage of physicians and dramatic changes in health care delivery. Additionally, the network partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer to find more cures for cancer faster while ensuring that patients have access to the highest quality, most individualized cancer care when and where they need it. Hackensack Meridian Health and Carrier Clinic, New Jersey’s oldest and most respected behavioral health provider, signed a definitive agreement to merge.

Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.

For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.