A Value-Based Model

An interview with Louis A. Shapiro, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hospital for Special Surgery

Leaders Magazine—April 1, 2010

Can you give a brief overview of the key expertise that Hospital for Special Surgery provides, and the strength of the services you offer?

We think of HSS as a value-based model of excellence in health care delivery. As a full-fledged academic medical center, we take care of patients, we teach medical students and we have residents and fellows who are in their post-graduate years for training. We also have an extensive research program with internationally recognized scientists who are leaders in their field.

What is different is that we have a focus, which is on musculoskeletal medicine – taking care of bones, muscles, and joints – and the specialties of orthopedics and rheumatology. As a highly specialized institution, we have considerable expertise treating a very specific patient population, allowing us to analyze and constantly improve care for our patients.

As you look a year or two down the road, what are you most focused on to continue the leadership and strength of Hospital for Special Surgery?

No matter how good our performance is, we are relentless about our focus on improving upon our foundation of excellence. We also need to remain focused on our ability to grow. One of the challenges that comes from our success is that the demand for our services exceeds our capacity. We’re constantly expanding.

As we enter a new decade, more than ever before, we are very aware of our unique position to improve the mobility of patients. As active baby boomers age, just as we pioneered the artificial knee, we are now working on new approaches to better diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate those with orthopedic conditions and rheumatic diseases. Our charge is to keep everyone with the highest level of mobility possible, which will have a direct impact on the quality of life.

Read the full interview in Leaders Magazine.