HSS Community Benefit Report (2012): Invested in Our Community

2012 Community Benefit Report | 1

PUBLIC AND PATIENT EDUCATION AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS / HEALTH CONNECTION: HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY’S GOOD HEALTH NEWSLETTER / HIP & KNEE CLINIC / OSTEOPOROSIS WELLNESS INI-TIATIVE / HEALTH CONNECTION FAST FACTS / SPORTS AND SHOULDER CLINIC / OSTEOARTHRITIS WELL-NESS INITIATIVE / SPINE CLINIC / PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL MEDICAL SCREENING COMBINE / JOINT MO-BILITY CENTER / LIVING WITH RA SUPPORT GROUP / EARLY RA WORKSHOP / PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICMYOSITIS SUPPORT AND EDUCATION GROUP / FOOT CLINIC / HSS SCLERODERMA, VASCULITIS AND MY-OSITIS CENTER / SCLERODERMA, VASCULITIS AND MYOSITIS CENTER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FORUM / ADULT LIMB LENGTHENING CLINIC / VOICES 60+ SENIOR ADVOCACY PROGRAM / GREENBERG ACAD-EMY FOR SUCCESSFUL TRAINING / HSS SPEAKER’S BUREAU / LUPUSLINE / HAND CLINIC / THE SLE WORKSHOP / LANTERN (LUPUS ASIAN NETWORK) / PHYSIATRY CLINIC / LANTERN E-NEWS – BUILDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS / HSS ASIAN COMMUNITY BONE HEALTH INITIATIVE / NEUROLOGY CLINIC / VOICES MEDICAID MANAGED CARE PROGRAM / FOUNDATION OF ORTHOPEDICS AND COMPLEX SPINE (FOCOS) / LEON ROOT, MD PEDIATRIC OUTREACH PROGRAM (POP) / PEDIATRICS NEUROLOGY CLINIC / SNEAKER© (SUPER NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR ALL KIDS TO EAT RIGHT) / CHARLA DE LUPUS/LUPUS CHAT / METABOLIC BONE CLINIC / OSTEOARTHRITIS INITIATIVE / PERRY OUTREACH PROGRAM / ORTHO-PEDIC RESIDENCY PROGRAM / DERMATOLOGY CLINIC / COMPREHENSIVE ARTHRITIS PROGRAM (CAP) / PUBLIC AND PATIENT EDUCATION AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS / HEALTH CONNECTION: HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY’S GOOD HEALTH NEWSLETTER / HIP & KNEE CLINIC / OSTEOPOROSIS WELLNESS INI-TIATIVE / HEALTH CONNECTION FAST FACTS / SPORTS AND SHOULDER CLINIC / OSTEOARTHRITIS WELL-NESS INITIATIVE / SPINE CLINIC / PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL MEDICAL SCREENING COMBINE / JOINT MO-BILITY CENTER / LIVING WITH RA SUPPORT GROUP / EARLY RA WORKSHOP / PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICMYOSITIS SUPPORT AND EDUCATION GROUP / FOOT CLINIC / HSS SCLERODERMA, VASCULITIS AND MY-OSITIS CENTER / SCLERODERMA, VASCULITIS AND MYOSITIS CENTER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FORUM / ADULT LIMB LENGTHENING CLINIC / VOICES 60+ SENIOR ADVOCACY PROGRAM / GREENBERG ACAD-EMY FOR SUCCESSFUL TRAINING / HSS SPEAKER’S BUREAU / LUPUSLINE / HAND CLINIC / THE SLE WORKSHOP / LANTERN (LUPUS ASIAN NETWORK) / PHYSIATRY CLINIC / LANTERN E-NEWS – BUILDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS / HSS ASIAN COMMUNITY BONE HEALTH INITIATIVE / NEUROLOGY CLINIC / VOICES MEDICAID MANAGED CARE PROGRAM / FOUNDATION OF ORTHOPEDICS AND COMPLEX SPINE (FOCOS) / LEON ROOT, MD PEDIATRIC OUTREACH PROGRAM (POP) / PEDIATRICS NEUROLOGY CLINIC / SNEAKER© (SUPER NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR ALL KIDS TO EAT RIGHT) / CHARLA DE LUPUS/LUPUS CHAT / METABOLIC BONE CLINIC / OSTEOARTHRITIS INITIATIVE / PERRY OUTREACH PROGRAM / ORTHO-PEDIC RESIDENCY PROGRAM / DERMATOLOGY CLINIC / COMPREHENSIVE ARTHRITIS PROGRAM (CAP) / PUBLIC AND PATIENT EDUCATION AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS / HEALTH CONNECTION: HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY’S GOOD HEALTH NEWSLETTER / HIP & KNEE CLINIC / OSTEOPOROSIS WELLNESS INI-TIATIVE / HEALTH CONNECTION FAST FACTS / SPORTS AND SHOULDER CLINIC / OSTEOARTHRITIS WELL-NESS INITIATIVE / SPINE CLINIC / PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL MEDICAL SCREENING COMBINE / JOINT MO-BILITY CENTER / LIVING WITH RA SUPPORT GROUP / EARLY RA WORKSHOP / PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICMYOSITIS SUPPORT AND EDUCATION GROUP / FOOT CLINIC / HSS SCLERODERMA, VASCULITIS AND MY-OSITIS CENTER / SCLERODERMA, VASCULITIS AND MYOSITIS CENTER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FORUM / ADULT LIMB LENGTHENING CLINIC / VOICES 60+ SENIOR ADVOCACY PROGRAM / GREENBERG ACAD-EMY FOR SUCCESSFUL TRAINING / HSS SPEAKER’S BUREAU / LUPUSLINE / HAND CLINIC / THE SLE WORKSHOP / LANTERN (LUPUS ASIAN NETWORK) / PHYSIATRY CLINIC / LANTERN E-NEWS – BUILDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS / HSS ASIAN COMMUNITY BONE HEALTH INITIATIVE / NEUROLOGY CLINIC / VOICES MEDICAID MANAGED CARE PROGRAM / FOUNDATION OF ORTHOPEDICS AND COMPLEX SPINE (FOCOS) / LEON ROOT, MD PEDIATRIC OUTREACH PROGRAM (POP) / PEDIATRICS NEUROLOGY CLINIC / SNEAKER© (SUPER NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR ALL KIDS TO EAT RIGHT) / CHARLA DE LUPUS/LUPUS CHAT / METABOLIC BONE CLINIC / OSTEOARTHRITIS INITIATIVE / PERRY OUTREACH PROGRAM / ORTHO-PEDIC RESIDENCY PROGRAM / DERMATOLOGY CLINIC / COMPREHENSIVE ARTHRITIS PROGRAM (CAP) / PUBLIC AND PATIENT EDUCATION AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS / HEALTH CONNECTION: HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY’S GOOD HEALTH NEWSLETTER / HIP & KNEE CLINIC / OSTEOPOROSIS WELLNESS INI-TIATIVE / HEALTH CONNECTION FAST FACTS / SPORTS AND SHOULDER CLINIC / OSTEOARTHRITIS WELL-NESS INITIATIVE / SPINE CLINIC / PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL MEDICAL SCREENING COMBINE / JOINT MO-BILITY CENTER / LIVING WITH RA SUPPORT GROUP / EARLY RA WORKSHOP / PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICMYOSITIS SUPPORT AND EDUCATION GROUP / FOOT CLINIC / HSS SCLERODERMA, VASCULITIS AND MY-OSITIS CENTER / SCLERODERMA, VASCULITIS AND MYOSITIS CENTER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FORUM / ADULT LIMB LENGTHENING CLINIC / VOICES 60+ SENIOR ADVOCACY PROGRAM / GREENBERG ACADEM

2012 report

INVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY

2 | Hospital for Special Surgery




Dear friends:

As we mark 150 years in New York City, Hospital for Special Surgery remains committed to providing the safest, highest quality, and most compassionate care for our patients, as well as serving as a trusted partner and resource for the diverse communities we serve.

As a world leader in musculoskeletal medicine, HSS collaborates with local and national partners to address key public health concerns and develop innovative approaches to care. The synergy between our patient care, teaching and research has resulted in measured improvements in the health, well-being and quality of life for our communities.

Our knowledge, experience working in New York’s multi-cultural environment, professional affiliations, and world-class health care leadership contribute to the many initiatives discussed in this report. There is a commitment at all levels of HSS to help shape the future of musculoskeletal care.

We are proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to continuing to provide advances toward the mobility and quality of life of all of our patients.

Louis A. ShapiroPresident and CEO

COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT CONTENTS

About Hospital for 4 Special Surgery

Commitment to the 5 Community

Investing in People 6 and Mobility

Investing in Innovation 11 through Research

Investing in the 12 Doctors of Tomorrow

Investing in the 13 Community Through Effective Partnerships

Community Investment 14 by the Numbers

On the cover: Dr. Leon Root poses with the children of P.S. 140 The Eagle School in the Bronx after an HSS Pediatric Outreach Program (POP) school screening. Photo by Brad Hess.


As the oldest orthopedic hospital in the United States, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has been a leader in musculoskeletal medicine for more than a century. We have established an ongoing commitment to both physi-cal and general wellness, patient care, clinical and translational research, health professionals’ education and community programming.

The HSS culture is one of continu-ous improvement and collaboration. Research, education and patient care are all inter-related and support each other in fulfilling our mission. Research ideas are often inspired by clinical experience and research findings are translated effectively into improved treatments and best practices for our patients. At HSS, we are not satisfied with practicing the best medicine; we are committed to making medicine better.

HSS has trained the minds, hearts, and hands of some of the nation’s fin-est clinicians in all aspects of muscu-loskeletal medicine. A steadfast com-mitment to excellence in education dates back to the Hospital’s earliest traditions and continues to influence its present-day mission and vision.

HSS’s Research Division occupies an influential position in the world of

musculoskeletal science and is continually enhancing and expanding its research in this area. Committed to medical innovation, HSS surgeons collaborate with engineers to pio-neer new treatments for improving patients’ mobility and quality of life. HSS laboratory scientists have made breakthrough discoveries regarding the causes and treatment of rheu-matoid arthritis, lupus, and other rare and common autoimmune diseases. Because they work collaboratively with clinicans, investigators focus on

research that ultimately benefits our patients and the community at large.

Through carefully planned education and outreach initiatives conducted in collaboration with local and national organizations, our community-based interventions promote healthier life-styles and enhanced disease manage-ment for the people within our diverse community members.

The Hospital’s Financial Assistance Program ensures the provision of quality healthcare to patients across the United States. We carefully consider and take into account the ability of the patient to pay. HSS extended its program beyond the state mandated level of 300 percent of the federal poverty level to patients whose income is at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty level. We have also extended our policy to consider a patient’s insurance co-pay, deduct-ible, and co-insurance as eligible for

discount.

❯ ❯ Achieving Excellence For the past 150 years, HSS has held a leadership

position in musculoskeletal medicine. The Hospital is nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics and No. 3 in rheuma-tology by U.S.News & World Report (2012-2013). It is the only hospital in New York City to receive a third consecutive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In addition, Consumer Reports ranked HSS the best hospital in New York City according to their patient satisfaction study. HSS, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System.

HSS OUTPATIENT CLINICS: ENSURING ACCESS TO CAREHSS has more than 20 specialty clinics serving the medically underserved, including: Hip/Knee, Sports and Shoulder, Spine, Metabolic Bone, Physiatry, Pain Management, Foot, Hand, Neurology, Pediatric

Neurology, Dermatology, Adult Limb Lengthening and the Comprehensive Arthritis Program (CAP). The Pediatric Orthopedic Clinic serves all orthopedic concerns of children. Specialized clinics are geared towards the needs of children with cerebral palsy, scoliosis, lupus, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, limb lengthening and clubfoot.

HSS by the Numbers

More than 25,000 HSS outpatient clinic visits

About Hospital for Special Surgery

Hospital for Special Surgery is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.


Hospital for Special Surgery is committed to leading initiatives that provide superior care to patients and improve the health of the diverse communities we serve. These initiatives aim to strengthen and support our community by improving public health, empowering communities through information and services and leveraging resources through effective partnerships.

All are fueled by our dedicated and expert staff, our vast experience working with multicultural communities and our world class health care leadership.

❯ ❯ Establishing the Needs of the CommunityHSS employs a needs assessment process to identify gaps and inform the direction and content of community programming. We seek input from a wide variety of sources, including community organizations, public schools, city and state agencies, universities, colleges and the private sector.

HSS views the ongoing exchange of information with our partners as critical to enabling us to identify, develop, modify and expand initiatives to best meet the changing healthcare needs of our diverse community.

In addition to input from our partners, HSS reaches out to patients and the broader community who provide valuable insight and information utilized in program planning and new models for intervention.

❯ ❯ About our CommunityHSS serves many communities in New York City, the tri-state area, and around the world. The Hospital’s primary service area consists of the

five boroughs of New York City. Its immediate community lies within the boundaries of New York City’s Community Board #8, which extends north from 59th Street to 96th Street and east from Fifth Avenue to the East River.

The suburban counties surrounding New York City are its secondary service areas, including New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island.

❯ ❯ Serving Our Diverse Community Caring for diverse communities, regardless of ability to pay, has been an integral part of the Hospital’s mission since its inception. Among HSS’s early patients were

Civil War veterans returning from battle with orthopedic injuries and poor children living with crippling conditions on the streets of New York City.

HSS ambulatory care clinics, which provide bone and joint care to primarily underinsured children and adults from economically and culturally diverse communities, demonstrate how we continue to maintain our long-standing commitment to caring for those who are most vulnerable.

The majority of adult patients are being evaluated for surgical intervention to ease the pain caused by arthritis and traumatic injury, which can severely limit mobility and interfere with the activities of daily living. Many of the Hospital’s clinic patients arrive with complex and/or chronic illnesses, including cerebral palsy and scoliosis, that require the expertise and highly individualized care for which HSS is renowned.

THE HSS COMMUNITY DRIVERS OF

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Among NYC elementary school children, 40% are overweight

or obese.

Approximately 3.7 million (26.1%) of New York’s adult population report they have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

3.7million 3

million

In New York State, at least 3 million women and men (age

50 and over) either have osteoporosis or are at a

significant risk of developing osteoporosis.

3.7million 3

million

A surveillance study is currently underway to assess the

numbers of people with lupus in the New York area. More than 1.5 million Americans may have lupus, with African-American,

Asian and Latina women at a 2 to 4 times greater risk.

HSS is committed to improving public health, empowering

and educating individuals and communities

and establishing effective community

partnerships.

Commitment to the Community


Hospital for Special Surgery’s expertise in joint diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis and autoimmune diseases such as lupus resonates with the health needs of many New Yorkers, especially children, seniors and culturally diverse communities, who may be particularly impacted by health disparities. In collaboration with key partners in healthcare, HSS focuses on providing community outreach initiatives that enhance health education, mobility, communication and quality of life of our diverse population. HSS offers more free support and education programs in its areas of specialty than any other hospital in the country.

❯ ❯ Educating to Improve Public and Patient Health The Public and Patient Education Department (PPED) offers a wide variety of programming and practical information on musculoskeletal conditions and other health and wellness related topics. These programs are designed to meet the specific needs of our patients and the general public.

PPED strives to provide current and useful information to the community through education programs, lectures/symposia, workshops, support groups, publications, and a patient education library.

HSS also offers a schedule of public education programs, private classes and alternative care services under the supervision of HSS physicians, physical therapists and complementary care providers through the Integrative Care Center (ICC).

Health Connection: Hospital for Special Surgery’s Good Health Newsletter, published by PPED, informs the community on the latest information and research in musculoskeletal health. Health Connection has a print circulation of over 15,000 and expands its reach through the HSS website. Health Connection Fast Facts is our online health education newsletter designed to provide the public with fast, current,

accurate information about musculoskeletal and general health, available on the HSS website.

❯ ❯ Focusing on Musculoskeletal Health

Musculoskeletal Wellness InitiativesPPED developed its Osteoarthritis (OA) and Osteoporosis (OP) Wellness Initiatives to raise awareness, educate, and reduce the impact of these diseases in the older adult community. Comprised of free or low-cost education and exercise programs, these initiatives aim to improve fitness, increase mobility, decrease pain, and increase quality of life of the community. The implementation of these programs draws from the expertise of HSS clinical staff as well as external

partnerships with other healthcare and community-based organizations. Program evaluations have shown that participation in our educational programs have improved knowledge about OA and OP. Exercise program results have shown significant reductions in pain severity and intensity, improved balance, fewer falls, and an increase in physical activity.

Encouraging Safe ExerciseThe James M. Benson Sports Rehabilitation Center and Tisch Sports Performance

Center at HSS have teamed up with the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) to offer public high school students a Pre-Season Football Medical Screening Combine. Screenings are performed by a staff of primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, pediatricians, certified athletic trainers, physical therapists, exercise physiologists, and registered

Participants of the Public & Patient

Education Department’s fitness classes.

HSS by the Numbers

Nearly 3,000 registrants reached

by programs

Investing in People and Mobility


nurses as well as our Residents and Fellows. Player evaluation and screening includes, but is not limited to, orthopedic screening, flexibility testing, and body fat percent measurement, all offered at no cost.

To help people maintain their physical therapy routine, the HSS Rehabilitation Department’s Joint Mobility Center (JMC) offers an Exercise Wellness Program for people who have completed their formal physical therapy and choose to continue under the guidance of JMC therapists.

Support for People with Chronic Musculoskeletal ConditionsThe Department of Social Work Programs, in collaboration with the Divisions of Rheumatology and Nursing, offers a free monthly support and education program for HSS patients with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) called Living with RA. Now in its twelfth year and unique in the New York metropolitan area, the program features RA-related lectures and is followed by a support group facilitated by a licensed social worker and nurse manager in rheumatology

The “Early RA Workshop,” launched

in 2007, is a program offered through the Early Arthritis Initiative of the Inflammatory Arthritis Center (IAC), in collaboration with the Department of Social Work Programs and the Division of Nursing. This free workshop series focuses on early intervention for people with newly diagnosed RA by providing essential RA-related education and peer support.

The Hospital’s Department of Social Work Programs offers the only support and education group in New York City for people with myositis. The Myositis Support and Education Group helps patients cope with the disease, reduces isolation, and increases understanding of the inflammatory myopathies. The group, ongoing since 1997, meets monthly and is free. A monthly newsletter is sent to all group members.

The HSS Scleroderma, Vasculitis and Myositis Center specializes in clinical care, research, and education in these and other rare rheumatologic diseases. Since January 2012, the

Center, in collaboration with The Department of Social Work Programs, offers free tri-annual education and support forums for people coping with these rare rheumatologic diseases. The Scleroderma, Vasculitis, and Myositis Center Education and Support Forum features disease-specific talks by expert healthcare professionals, followed by a social

work facilitated support and discussion hour. The Forum is open to community members and HSS patients.

Improving Health Among Older AdultsVOICES 60+ Senior Advocacy Program, offered by the Department of Social Work Programs, is

designed to assist ethnically diverse HSS patients, 60 and older, with arthritis and related orthopedic conditions. The program’s goal is to enhance the medical care experience and improve quality of life by helping older adults navigate and access the care, community resources and education they need. Our community initiatives include enhancing doctor patient communication, with a focus on falls prevention, and increasing safety at home by facilitating access to culturally and linguistically appropriate home care services, in collaboration with community partners.

The Greenberg Academy for Successful Aging is a collaborative program between the Public and Patient Education Department and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Irving Sherwood Wright Center for the Aging, a primary care medical practice serving older adults. Our program develops and implements health education programs aimed at the interests and needs of people age 65 and over. We offer a variety of educational opportunities from lectures focusing on “Know Your Medicare Rights” to workshops

Seniors attend one of many educational offerings. Above: An issue of HSS’s HealthConnection.

Exercise program results have shown significant reductions in pain severity, improved balance, fewer falls, and an increase in physical activity.


on falls prevention to wellness-based exercise and dance classes.

The HSS Speaker’s Bureau matches professionals to locations around New York City to present educational programs on various topics including elder abuse, diabetes, heat safety, osteoporosis and arthritis. We have worked with a multitude of community based programs including but not limited to senior centers, faith-based agencies, local government agencies and home health care agencies.

The Department of Nursing has been instrumental in delivering these presentations. Recently, they have expanded their community benefit activities and launched an initiative to bring information about medication safety to local senior centers.

Helping People with LupusThrough our Mary Kirkland Center for Lupus Care and its pioneering clinical and research initiatives, community members are provided with outstanding resources for people with systemic lupus erythematosus, a complex, chronic and life-threatening autoimmune disease that can affect multiple body organs.

As part of this commitment, the Department of Social Work Programs offers the following free support and education services.

LupusLine®, initiated in 1988, is the only national telephone peer support program offering one-to-one emotional support and information to people with lupus across the country and internationally; the program links people who need the service with trained volunteers who have lupus or are a family member of someone with lupus.

The SLE Workshop, ongoing since 1985, is one of the country’s longest standing support and education

groups for people with lupus. The program offers free monthly meetings at HSS for individuals with lupus, their families and friends. Experts, drawn largely from HSS faculty, present on a variety of lupus related topics, followed by informal group discussion.

Reaching the Asian-American CommunityLANtern® (Lupus Asian Network), established in 2003, is the only national support and education program designed specifically to serve Asian Americans with lupus and their loved ones. Its national SupportLine, (available in Cantonese and Mandarin) provides culturally relevant health education interventions both locally and internationally.

The program has launched significant program collaborations with many health, social service, and community based organizations serving the Asian American community. The goal is to build capacity directed toward early identification and understanding of lupus as a chronic illness, that is prevalent, but not well recognized. The initiative has also published

“LANtern e-News – Building Community Partnerships,” the first e-newsletter to promote a dialogue among health professionals. Bilingual educational publications are available free to patients and the general public.

The HSS Asian Community Bone Health Initiative, an initiative of the Public & Patient Education Department, aims to improve the quality of life of at-risk older adult members of New York City’s Asian

community by helping them stay active and better manage chronic bone and joint diseases including osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

The program currently offers Arthritis Foundation exercise classes led by HSS’s bilingual, bicultural program coordinator at three Chinatown senior centers with the goal of decreasing musculoskeletal pain, stiffness and fatigue and improving muscle strength, balance and overall health status. A reduction in stiffness, fatigue and pain has been reported by participants through pilot program evaluations.

Assisting with Access to Care The VOICES Medicaid Managed Care Education Program, offered

HSS by the Numbers

Nearly 29,000 contacts from Department of Social Work

Programs’ 9 community benefit programs

Charla de Lupus/Lupus Chat® and LANtern® programs partner with the community to participate in a walk to raise lupus awareness.


by the Department of Social Work Programs, provides bilingual (English/Spanish) education, as well as support and advocacy, to understand and navigate insurance options under Medicaid managed care. The program’s goal is to empower members of the community and potential patients regarding access to specialized healthcare for rheumatologic and musculoskeletal conditions.

❯ ❯ Investing in the International CommunityThe Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS) is a non-profit organization that was established in 1998 by the chief of the scoliosis service at HSS. The organization’s mission is to provide comprehensive, affordable orthopedic and spine care to people in medically underserved areas, primarily in Ghana, West Africa. FOCOS relies on an international network of world class volunteer nurses, surgeons and other medical providers to deliver such care. FOCOS has had many volunteers from HSS including nurses from the operating room and in-patient units, surgical technicians, physical therapists, surgeons and orthopedic surgical residents.

HSS supports this humanitarian work by offering employees 40 hours per year of paid time off for Humanitarian Service projects. This important contribution and support of the institution has enabled the participation of many clinicians who may not otherwise have been able to volunteer their services.

❯ ❯ Caring for Children and Families

Leon Root, MD Pediatric Outreach ProgramThe Leon Root, MD, Pediatric Outreach Program (POP), launched in 1987, is a community-based program designed to prevent long-term musculoskeletal disorders and severe joint disability in children living in medically underserved communities, thus providing access to care that these children might not otherwise receive.

Initiated as a school-based screening program, POP sends highly-trained orthopedic teams (surgeon, residents, interns and nurses) into NYC public schools and day care centers located in medically underserved neighborhoods. These teams screen

children for musculoskeletal issues such as scoliosis, joint pain, bowed legs and flat feet, as well as for primary health needs.

In 2004, POP established a partnership with the Charles B. Wang

Community Health Center (CBW), a free-standing pediatric outpatient clinic located in Chinatown. HSS provides monthly pediatric clinics at CBW to reduce access barriers and

unmet healthcare needs within the Asian community.

SNEAKER© (Super Nutrition Education for All Kids to Eat Right) ProgramIn response to the childhood obesity epidemic, HSS launched the SNEAKER© program in 2003. SNEAKER© is a nutrition and physical

Young patients at the FOCOS Orthopedic Hospital in Ghana express their gratitude to HSS.

Community partners, especially the NYC public school system, have played an integral role in the adaptation, implementation

and replication of the SNEAKER® program.

HSS by the Numbers

More than 26,000 children reached through POP

More than 11,000 children reached through SNEAKER© since 2003


activity education program that is designed to accommodate different educational formats ranging from small group sessions to large groups attending health fairs.

At its core is a 7-week interactive program that provides children and families with essential knowledge about healthy eating and physical activity. Weekly newsletters are sent home to parents to educate them about what their children learned in school so they can help to foster healthy changes for the entire family.

In addition, there is an award winning SNEAKER© cookbook which offers families multi-cultural, healthy recipes to use at home, and an activity book that provides young children with opportunities to learn about nutrition and physical activity independently.

Community partners, especially the NYC public school system, have played an integral role in the adaptation, implementation, and replication of SNEAKER©. Program evaluations have demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge and behavior change.

Charla de Lupus/Lupus Chat®

In 1994, in response to health disparities affecting African American, Asian and Latina women living with lupus, a life-threatening, multisystem autoimmune disease, HSS developed Charla de Lupus/Lupus Chat® (“Charla”), the only hospital-based national lupus peer support and education program for Spanish-speaking and African American communities.

Based on a comprehensive needs assessment and best practices, we initiated a social work-led program to engage and train peer volunteers to become empowering role models. Culturally relevant strategies help to increase understanding of this complex illness and its treatment, improve medical adherence, and enhance coping and healthy

behaviors.

Comprehensive bilingual (English/Spanish) services include: the Charla Line, a toll-free national support and education help

line; weekly Onsite Peer Support Outreach at four hospital-based clinics; monthly Charla Teen and Parent Lupus Chat Groups; numerous community, professional education and federal collaborations; and international distribution (of over 12,000 copies in English,

Spanish, and Chinese) of “For Inquiring Teens with Lupus: Our Thoughts, Issues and Concerns,” an award-winning publication.

In addition, Charla worked with HSS’s SNEAKER© program to implement a nutrition program to meet the needs of predominantly Latina teens with lupus and their families, in collaboration with the Pediatric Rheumatology Department of Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, NewYork Presbyterian–Columbia Medical Center.

Our goal is to provide practical strategies to initiate and sustain healthy nutritional practices, taking into account bone and cardiac health, renal disease and obesity. Program evaluations indicate positive behavioral changes in nutritional practices.

CHARLA DE LUPUS/LUPUS CHAT® PROGRAM WINS AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION AWARD

The Charla de Lupus/Lupus Chat® Program was selected as the recipient of a national award by the American Hospital Association as a program demonstrating outstanding commitment to community outreach and collaboration. Marielin Lopez, a peer volunteer for the program for five years, accepted the award at their Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, in May 2012.

This photo: Charla de Lupus and SNEAKER® partner to offer a culturally- specific lupus nutrition education program. Right: The SNEAKER® Project Cookbook.

HSS by the Numbers

50 volunteers for the Charla Program have

made more than 30,000 client contacts to date


Research at HSS works to advance the understanding and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Our major goal is to translate research findings and accomplishments into improved patient care and outcomes.

The solid foundation of the Research Division is built on our significant musculoskeletal patient volume, excellent clinical care and strong team of scientists and clinicians. Because our culture is one of learning, innovation and continuous improvement, our doctors and scientists consistently collaborate to discover new ways to improve safety and reduce complications, thereby improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

In 2011, we supported more than 300 research projects spending a

total of $32 million. Our mission is to advance understanding and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders through basic, translational and clinical research and education.

❯ ❯ Tracking Outcomes Through Registries To date, we have established over 44 clinical registries to track patient

outcomes in the long term that will help our scientists develop new treatments, and potentially, cures.

Because we perform more orthopedic

surgeries than any other hospital in the world – more than 26,000 per year – we are able to gather and analyze data quickly so that patients benefit from our expertise.

These registries have led to new research discoveries and important

improvements in patient care and outcomes.

❯ ❯ Leading the Field in Arthritis ResearchAs leaders in arthritis research, HSS has worked to expand its Osteoarthritis (OA) Initiative. In 2011, HSS hosted an international conference on OA, where thought leaders worked towards a consensus on what is currently known about OA and identified priorities for a research agenda based on existing knowledge gaps. Resulting research was published in HSS’s own HSS Journal, which reaches an international audience of 18,000 healthcare professionals.

In addition, we have published results of our extensive research in rheumatoid arthritis in leading scientific journals. Moreover, we have expanded our clinical research in both OA and RA.

HSS by the Numbers

$32 million spent on research in 2011

More than 300 research projects supported in 2011

Investing in Innovation Through Research

Dr. Mary Goldring and Dr. Suzanne

Maher in the research laboratory

investigating cartilage and knee

joint mechanics.

Because we perform more orthopedic surgeries than any other hospital in the world – more than 26,000 per year – we are able to gather and analyze data quickly.


Training doctors to become specialists in musculoskeletal medicine is an important way that HSS supports the community. In 1887, Dr. Virgil Gibney established the very first program in the United States to train doctors to become orthopedic surgeons. Since then, HSS has trained nearly 1,000 orthopedic surgeons. Each year, out of more than 600 applicants, HSS selects eight medical school graduates to train for five years in the Orthopedic Residency Program.

Along with the five-year residency in orthopedic surgery, HSS offers fellowship programs that train surgeons in a variety of specialty areas including joint replacement, sports medicine, and many other specialties, some very rare, like limb lengthening and metabolic bone disorders, as well as rheumatology, anesthesia, radiology and others.

❯ ❯ Creating Culturally-sensitive, Compassionate CaregiversIn addition to teaching residents to be outstanding technically and clinically, our goal is to create compassionate caregivers. Toward that end, the curriculum includes specific training on communicating with the older adult population. In their third year of residency, the residents pair up to conduct presentations to the senior patient community. This is a collaborative program with the Greenberg Academy for Successful Aging.

Additionally, our residents learn cultural sensitivity skills needed to overcome barriers to health care access and delivery faced by patients from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds through participation in the Leon Root, MD Pediatric Outreach Program.

Along with our training programs in orthopedic surgery, HSS trains clinicians through fellowships in all

facets of musculoskeletal medicine. For the past 70 years, we have trained fellows to specialize in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, including pediatric rheumatology, a specialization in very short supply in the United States. Since 1967, HSS has trained radiologists to use imaging technologies to diagnose musculoskeletal conditions including arthritis, sports injuries, spinal conditions, tumors and others. We also train anesthesia fellows to manage the orthopedic surgery patient both during and after the surgical procedure.

HSS has recently added fellowships in neurology and primary care sports medicine.

❯ ❯ Mentoring Young WomenIn collaboration with The Perry Initiative and University of Delaware’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, HSS hosts the annual Perry Outreach Program, a mentoring program aimed at encouraging young high school women to explore the fields of orthopedic surgery and engineering.

Female residents, attending physicians and engineers work with the students one-on-one through a series of hands-on workshops with the goal of inspiring future leaders in these fields.

Along with training our residents to be outstanding technically and clinically, our goal

is to create compassionate caregivers.

HSS by the Numbers

8 residents selected each year from more than

600 applicants

Dr. Sabrina Strickland walks a resident through

a procedure in HSS’s Bioskills Education Lab.

Investing in the Doctors of Tomorrow


Effective and sustainable relationships with key stakeholder groups are essential to the success of HSS community health initiatives. We appreciate our active partnerships, which include the following organizations:

Clinical/Academic Partners

Asian American/Asian Research Institute, City University of New York

Translational Research Institute for Pain in Later Life (TRIPLL)

Charles B. Wang Community Health Center

Chinese Community Partnership for Health, New York Downtown Hospital

Clinical Translational Science Center, Community

Engagement Core, Weill Cornell Medical College

Gouverneur Healthcare Services, New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation

Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Adolescent Health Center

NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Rheumatology Service, Columbia Medical Center

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College—Health Outreach® Program

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

University of Delaware

Weill Cornell Medical College

Community-Based Organization Partners

Arthritis Foundation—NY Chapter

Asian Health and Social Service Council

CenterLight Healthcare

Children’s Aid Society

Chinatown Senior Center Chinese American Planning Council

Community Healthcare Network

Lupus Foundation of America

Medicare Rights Center

The Myositis Association

National Osteoporosis Foundation

New York Chinese American Association

New York Foundation for Senior Citizens

New York Road Runners Club (NYRR)

Prime Care Home Health Agency

Project Sunshine

Senior Companions at Henry Street Settlement

Senior Health Partners

Service Program for Older People

S.L.E. Lupus Foundation

Government/Public Partners

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases New York State Department of Health

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

New York City Public Schools

New York Public Libraries

Office of Women’s Health, Department of Health and Human Services

Investing in the Community Through Effective Partnerships


Managing Editors: Sandra Goldsmith, MA, MS, RD, Director, Public & Patient Education; Roberta Horton, LCSW, ACSW, Director, Social Work Programs; Marc Gould, Vice President, Finance | Design: Christina Fisher, MFA | Photography: Alane Clemens; Brad Hess

©2013 Hospital for Special Surgery Education Publications & Communications. All rights reserved.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about Hospital for Special Surgery’s community education, support and outreach programs, please call (212) 606-1057 or visit www.hss.edu.

You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn by searching for “HSpecialSurgery.”



Financial AssistanceHSS assists patients who are unable to pay for their hospital services and those with limited or no insurance coverage.

Medicaid Subsidy Costs associated with services provided by HSS to patients who are covered under Medicaid insurance that exceed the reimbursement provided by the Medicaid program.

Health Professions Education Supports the cost of training residents and fellows.

Research Net expense of supporting research programs that work to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Community Health Improvement Services Supports costs associated with various community-based initiatives.

Community Investment by the Numbers

WHAT IS COMMUNITY BENEFIT?

Community benefit includes programs or activities that respond to an identified community health need. These programs must seek to acheive one of the following objectives:

❯ ❯ Improve access to health services

❯ ❯ Enhance public health

❯ ❯ Advance medical or health knowledge

❯ ❯ Relieve or reduce burden on government or other community efforts

HSS 2011 Community Benefit Spending by Category

$82.6 millionof spending on community benefits and services in 2011*

Financial Assistance $4 million

Community Health

Improvement Services

$2.3 million

Research $36.4 million

Health Professions Education $34.6 million

Medicaid Subsidy $5.3 million

* As reported in the Hospital’s 2011 IRS Form 990 filing.



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HSS Community Benefit Report (2012): Invested in Our Community

Documents

Transcript of HSS Community Benefit Report (2012): Invested in Our Community