MDNews - Cleveland-Akron-Canton

D r. Wei ner i s t he on ly pra c t ici n g or t hoped ic oncolog i s t i n t he A k ron region. He attracts patients from across Ohio and surrounding states. Dr. Miller, who specia lizes in or thopedic trauma- tology, is also in high demand — especially at Su m ma's L evel I Trau ma Center, which was the first in the Akron/Canton a rea to be ver i f ied by t he A mer ica n College of Surgeons. " We a re a major referra l source for Level I Trauma ser v ice for hospita ls w i t h i n a t w o - h o u r r a d i u s , " s a y s Dr. Weiner. Getting the patient to the right physi- cia n the f irst time a nd helping them navigate through the system improves care and cost-eectiveness. It's also key to a successful population hea lth strat- eg y, as is preventative ca re. Towa rds that end, patients at Summa's Orthopedic Institute who require surgery are well informed and prepared a head of time. T hey a re a lso educated about post- surger y ca re. This not only improves compliance but a lso outcomes. A mong providers, feedback is sha red through Summa's integrated electronic medica l records system, a nd a ny loops a re closed to ensure that patients a re closely followed a nd their prog ress is t horoug h ly docu mented a l l t he way through recover y a nd rehabilitation. POPUL ATION HEALTH Summa's population hea lth strategies, which focus on improving the hea lth- care of the entire Akron-area population, a re adva ntageous for a ll of its patients. But it is especia l ly adva nta geous for t hose w it h ch ron ic cond it ion s, l i ke diabetes. Diabetes, when lef t unmoni- tored, can have major consequences for patients across their lifespa n a nd add sig nif ica ntly to hea lthca re costs. "If a patient comes in with a diabetic foot infection that leads to amputation, we can look back through our integrated medica l records, from any of our clinica l sites, a nd f ig ure out why t he patient had diabetes bad enough to require a n a mputation," expla ins Dr. Weiner. "By identif ying those patients, and through coordination with their prima r y ca re phy sici a n , nu r se pr a c t it ioner s a nd Accou nt able Ca re Orga n i zation, we c a n det er m i ne t he c a u s e a nd work towa rds preventing it from happening in the future." As the emphasis on population hea lth g rows, hospita ls in the reg ion a re now faced w ith the disr uption of bund led payments for joint replacement surger y. This presents additiona l cha l lenges t o cont rol cos t s wh i le m a i nt a i n i n g qua lit y ca re. "At Summa (which has its own hea lth- ca re insura nce pla n a nd Accountable Care Organization), we have the advan- ta ge of a f fecting the patient from the PCP level a nd pa r tnering w it h t hem through our population hea lth strateg y," says Dr. Weiner. He points out that Summa a lso pa r t- ners with skilled nursing facilities in t he reg ion to prov ide ot her ser v ices, such as inpatient rehabilitation, when needed. "By controlling a nd a ffecting t he whole spectr u m of patient ca re, we c a n develop c a re pat hw ay s a nd protocols for a ll sites to work within a coordinated pla n of ca re." LOOKING FORWARD Pla ns a re ongoing for the Or thopedic Institute to continue to focus on popula- tion hea lth a nd improve access to ca re. "Access is a lways a n impor ta nt com- ponent when it comes to or thopedics," says Dr. Sha h, "not only for the patient but for physicia ns who need to refer a patient to a n or thopedic specia list." Dr. Wei ner a g rees. " I f you t reat a whole population a nd they a ll do well, a nd a re happy with their access, their ca re, a nd their physicia ns, then they a re going to be hea lthier," he says. "A nd we'll a ll benef it in the long run." For more information about Summa Health Orthopedic Institute, visit http:// www.summahealth .org/ortho. To refer a patient, call 330-835-5533. Same day and next day appointments are available Monday through Friday. ■ PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUMMA HEALTH, AKRON, OH Ben Burkam, MD Sports Medicine Robert Crawford, MD Sports Medicine Nilesh Shah, MD Sports Medicine Derek Klaus, MD Hand and Upper Extremity Eric Miller, MD Orthopedic Trauma Kiel Pfefferle, MD Total Joint Reconstruction Scott Weiner, MD Orthopedic Oncology But it is especia l ly adva nta geous for t hose w it h ch ron ic cond it ion s, l i ke diabetes. Diabetes, when lef t unmoni tored, can have major consequences for patients across their lifespa n a nd add sig nif ica ntly to hea lthca re costs. foot infection that leads to amputation, we can look back through our integrated medica l records, from any of our clinica l sites, a nd f ig ure out why t he patient had diabetes bad enough to require a n a mputation," expla ins Dr. Weiner. "By Orthopedic Oncology Jeff Junko, MD Foot and Ankle Reconstruction 0 8 0 8❱❱❱❱❱ C O V E R S T O R Y

• Cover