Intralign and Hospital for Special Surgery Collaborate on Advanced Training Program for Surgical First Assistants

PHOENIX, Feb. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Intralign, a specialty healthcare services provider, today announced it will partner with one of the world's most respected orthopedic care providers, Hospital for Special Surgery, to develop a first-of-its-kind training curriculum for Surgical First Assistants (SFAs) – a clinical specialty comprised of surgeons, medical doctors, physician's assistants and registered nurse first assists, that is in high demand to help provide better patient care. The educational program, operating as Intralign Academy , will teach the latest technologies and methodologies in orthopedic care, as well as best practices for increasing operational efficiency in the surgical suite.

Leaders from Hospital for Special Surgery will provide insight and support to enhance Intralign's existing Academy programs. Intralign Academy is the nation's first professional academy to train SFAs in both operational and clinical excellence with an emphasis on credentialing , clinical training , operating room management and continuing education.

"Surgical first assistants help surgeons focus on the highest-value care activities, which can ultimately increase surgical throughput. Despite their pivotal role in the OR , there are few continuing education opportunities for SFAs today in which the curriculum goes beyond clinical techniques to also train on best operational practices to address the changing realities of healthcare," said Rick Ferreira , president and CEO of Intralign. "By leveraging real-world insights from the most sought-after experts in orthopedic care , we can enrich Intralign's educational offering and provide the strongest possible competencies for SFAs in orthopedic and total joint replacement training. These skills will further enhance Intralign SFAs' ability to deliver high-quality , consistent and professional assistance that allows a surgeon to do more with fewer resources."

Intralign's Intra-Operative Support service makes highly trained SFAs available to the hospital to function as a "surgeon extender," a specially trained healthcare worker who performs tasks that might otherwise be performed by a surgeon. The advanced support SFAs provide help optimize the surgeon's efficiency throughout the case, which reduces procedure time and enhances patient throughput.

"We believe that in order to provide the best possible orthopedic care for every patient , knowledge of evolving techniques and methodologies should be shared," said Louis Shapiro , president and CEO , Hospital for Special Surgery. "Through our partnership with Intralign, we can help develop a training program that will be the gold standard for surgical first assistant education for years to come."

As part of the current program, Intralign Academy offers clinical training in a variety of surgical specialties in addition to orthopedics, including surgical robotics. Professionals enrolled in Intralign Academy are educated on OR behavior, communication and optimal methods for creating OR efficiencies, in addition to clinical best practices, which equip them with the broadest perspectives to assist any surgeon in any environment.

About Intralign
Intralign's care efficiency services make intra-operative management solutions available to healthcare providers , enabling them to better control the economics and quality of joint replacement and other surgeries in order to deliver the best possible care. To learn more , visit intralign.com.

About Hospital for Special Surgery
Founded in 1863 , Hospital for Special Surgery ( HSS ) is a world leader in orthopedics , rheumatology and rehabilitation. HSS is nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics, No. 4 in rheumatology, and No. 5 in geriatrics by U.S. News & World Report (2013-14), and is the first hospital in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center three consecutive times. HSS has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. From 2007 to 2012 , HSS has been a recipient of the HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award. HSS is a member of the New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College and as such all Hospital for Special Surgery medical staff are faculty of Weill Cornell. The hospital's research division is internationally recognized as a leader in the investigation of musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases. Hospital for Special Surgery is located in New York City and online at www.hss.edu.

SOURCE Intralign