Long Island's First Total Knee Replacements in a Free-Standing ASC Completed at East Hills

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. - July 11, 2018 - PRLog -- Orthopedic Surgeon Michael Kang, MD, has completed the first two total knee replacement procedures at the new, state-of-the-art East Hills Surgery Center on Long Island in New York. The 15,000-square-foot, multi-specialty ambulatory surgery center (ASC) opened last November in partnership with St. Francis Hospital/Catholic Health Services of Long Island and Regent Surgical Health. It was designed specifically to accommodate complex cases and procedures including total joint replacement and spine disorders. The two procedures are believed to be Long Island's first total knee replacements performed in a free-standing ASC.

"We're the first in our area to perform this surgery in a setting that's separate from the hospital," Dr. Kang said. "It's a growing trend across the country fueled by two things: the mandate of value-based care that calls for improved outcomes at reduced cost, and the fact that many patients within the Baby Boomer population are more active and more fit than previous generations as they begin to develop arthritis, making outpatient total joint replacement a good option."

Dr. Kang said the tri-state New York area has been relatively conservative about embracing the trend, but new facilities like East Hills are facilitating progress. About 500,000 total knee replacement procedures are conducted nationwide each year right now, he said, with that number expected to grow to as many as 3 million by 2030.

"Our partners at East Hills Surgery Center and St. Francis Hospital are dedicated to enhancing the quality of care, while increasing convenience and lowering costs," said Robert Ryan, Chief Operating Officer at Regent Surgical Health. "This is an exciting milestone for the East Hills center because it's exactly what this center was built to do."

"The move of appropriate cases to outpatient surgery centers is playing a more significant role in the healthcare model of the future," said Ruth E. Hennessey, EVP & Chief Administrative Officer of St. Francis Hospital. "This is an example of our commitment to stay ahead of trends in healthcare, bringing lower costs and better outcomes to patients."

East Hills Administrator Debra Hagendorn RN CASC started the wheels in motion for total joint replacement at the new center, coordinating across all involved parties to ensure equipment, protocol and processes were in place for success before, during and after the surgeries. "We made it happen in a short period of time because everyone involved wanted to be able to provide patients with the benefits of coming to an outpatient facility -- as opposed to a hospital where they'd have a longer stay and exposure to sick people. For healthy patients, it's a wonderful option for them to have the ability to go home right after surgery," she said.

"The process for launching a total joint program requires collaboration across multiple disciplines and a dedicated group of physicians, says Stephanie Martin, Regent's Vice President of Operations. She says approximately half of Regent centers across the country have implemented total joint programs, using a systematic, proprietary approach. Implemented at East Hills, the program provides a comprehensive pathway to address all phases of patient care.

Regent works closely with the steering committee made up of: surgeons, center leadership, and anesthesia; facilitates purchasing and support vendors to guide the process of developing protocols, implementing processes, and reviewing the details for a seamless and positive patient experience.  The programs provide quality outcomes designed to return patients to the active lifestyle they desire without an inpatient stay.

"The success of our first two procedures was truly due to a team effort by the entire staff, from admissions through pre-op, anesthesia, operating room, recovery and administration," said Hagendorn. "It was all about the patient, about making them confident from the moment they walked in the door that they had made the right choice. And afterward, the feedback from them was they were so happy -- both patients are doing great. I really am very proud that we were able to accomplish this."

About Regent Surgical Health
Regent Surgical Health is among the nation's leading surgery center management and development companies, and the most experienced company offering physician / hospital ASC joint venture partnerships. The company owns or operates 23 U.S. surgical facilities, 18 hospital joint ventures, and nine total joint replacement centers, and has an unmatched record for delivering sustainable profitability while enabling physician partners to maintain clinical autonomy and financial control. The company invests capital side-by-side with hospital and physician partners, and firmly believes the by-product of excellent care and efficiency is financial success.

To learn more about Regent Surgical Health and other physician / hospital alliance opportunities, visit: www.regentsurgicalhealth.com.

About St. Francis Hospital
St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center^® is New York State's only specialty designated cardiac center and a nationally recognized leader in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cardiac disease. St. Francis is ranked one of the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report and has earned the prestigious Magnet designation for nursing excellence. A leader in cardiovascular care for more than 50 years, St. Francis Hospital also offers an outstanding program in vascular, prostate, ear-nose-throat (ENT), abdominal, oncologic, gastrointestinal, and orthopedic surgery. St. Francis is a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island (CHSLI).

Contact us at 1.888.HEART.NY or visit us at www.stfrancisheartcenter.com.