HSS Appoints Fahrenkopf to Lead New Musculoskeletal Health Ecosystem

'HSS Health' Will Extend HSS Reach and Influence to Improve Health and Care

News provided by

Oct 01, 2019, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), world leader in orthopedics and rheumatology, has appointed an expert in healthcare transformation to lead an emerging musculoskeletal ecosystem propelled by HSS expertise, knowledge and care delivery. HSS president and CEO Louis A. Shapiro today announced the appointment of Amy Fahrenkopf, MD, MPH, whose experience includes leadership roles at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Castlight Health, McKinsey & Co., and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to be the first General Manager of 'HSS Health' and Senior Vice President at HSS.

Amy Fahrenkopf, MD, MPH, appointed the first General Manager of HSS Health and Senior Vice President at HSS.

HSS is the world's largest academic medical center dedicated to musculoskeletal health, having focused on advancing the field for 156 years. HSS has been ranked No. 1 for Orthopedics for the past 10 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. It is also ranked No. 3 for Rheumatology, and a Best Hospital for Pediatric Orthopedics.

"Through advanced knowledge, data science, and digital applications and tools, HSS Health will enable consumers' everyday needs across the spectrum from wellness and prevention to fitness and performance, to conservative and surgical treatment when necessary, through to rehabilitation and recovery," said Mr. Shapiro.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to harness the unmatched expertise of HSS to improve quality of life for much larger populations, and reduce costs for their employers, insurers and the broader healthcare system," said Dr. Fahrenkopf. "It is a privilege to help extend the impact of HSS's world-renowned expertise, care and culture."

Musculoskeletal conditions include wear and tear and diseases affecting muscles, joints and bones, and are the largest and fastest-growing drivers of healthcare costs for employers of the 125 million people in the U.S. workforce. As a result, many employers are actively seeking partners to deliver innovative solutions for a healthier, more productive workforce while achieving significant cost savings.

HSS Health will build on HSS programs for employers to serve people at every stage of their healthcare journey, with self- and virtual care, and an expanded network of physical locations. Self-care will be provided through data-driven, personalized education to help improve wellness and avoid common musculoskeletal conditions such as lower back pain. Virtual care will be provided through real-time remote access to HSS specialists for diagnosis and guidance on treatment options. In-person care will be more widely available through an expanded HSS network of facilities and strategic partnerships with high-value providers.

HSS Chief Value Medical Officer Catherine MacLean, MD, PhD, said expertise and reputation will most distinguish the new model in a crowded field. "There are already many players in this market, but generally their expertise is in technology or marketing," said Dr. MacLean. "HSS Health will be a category-of-one, bringing unmatched knowledge, expertise and reliability in the subject matter, and delivering it in ways tailored to the needs and wants of consumers, employers and payers."

Dr. Fahrenkopf comes to HSS from Socially Determined, a healthcare analytics firm in Washington, DC, where she served as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Value-Based Strategy. Having earned her undergraduate and medical degrees from Yale University and a master's degree in public health from Harvard University, Dr. Fahrenkopf served on the medical staff at Boston Children's Hospital and as an instructor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

"Dr. Fahrenkopf's appointment is a milestone in the accelerating development of HSS Health, which will contribute to disrupting the current healthcare model and expand access to our world-class musculoskeletal expertise," said Mr. Shapiro. "Through this we will deliver new approaches for more proactive and reliable musculoskeletal care, bringing HSS to wherever you are."

"There is a tremendous need to help people everywhere improve their musculoskeletal wellness with confidence, and avoid and overcome pain caused by related diseases and injuries," said Bryan T. Kelly, MD, surgeon-in-chief and medical director at HSS. "Through HSS Health and under Dr. Fahrenkopf's focused leadership, we will meet that need."

Dr. Fahrenkopf will assume her new position on November 4, based at the HSS main campus in New York City.

About HSS

HSS is the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the tenth consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2019-2020), and named a leader in pediatric orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report "Best Children's Hospitals" list (2019-2020). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has one of the lowest infection rates in the country and was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center four consecutive times. The global standard total knee replacement was developed at HSS in 1969. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State. In addition, HSS will be opening a new facility in Florida in early 2020. In 2018, HSS provided care to 139,000 patients and performed more than 32,000 surgical procedures, and people from all 50 U.S. states and 80 countries traveled to receive care at HSS. There were more than 37,000 pediatric visits to the HSS Lerner Children's Pavilion for treatment by a team of interdisciplinary experts. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. The HSS Global Innovation Institute was formed in 2016 to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is the world's leading provider of education on musculoskeletal health, with its online learning platform offering more than 600 courses to more than 21,000 medical professional members worldwide. Through HSS Global Ventures, the institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.