Tara McCoy, CEO, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Florida

Tara McCoy, CEO of the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Florida, spoke with Invest: about adapting to the region’s growing population. “We are seeing an influx of population into Palm Beach County. Hospital for Special Surgery is addressing the access and capacity to ensure we are here for the good things happening in the market,” McCoy said.

What trends are shaping the healthcare landscape in Palm Beach County and South Florida?

We have a positive outlook on the market. We are seeing an influx of population into Palm Beach County. Many businesses are relocating and we’re seeing a lot of business development and growth, which helps the market. The people moving here are looking for new healthcare to suit their needs. We need to have the capacity to handle everyone, and if we don’t, we need to expand to meet the growing needs of the community. There are many solutions to that problem, and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is addressing access and capacity to ensure we are here for the good things happening in the market.

Second, innovation is a hot topic in healthcare. We want to determine how to use AI in the clinical setting to solve real-life problems and prepare for the future of the technology.

The third trend in healthcare deals with how we collect data, make decisions and changes, and make it actionable. Many healthcare organizations are focused on collecting information from electronic medical records, but the next step is to really use that valuable information  and use the information to make meaningful changes to how we treat and help patients.

As Palm Beach County’s population continues to grow and also age, how is HSS adapting its services and operations to these demographic trends?

We are continuing to grow our footprint where we take care of patients. This year, we are opening a new office in Jupiter, an area in North Palm Beach county where we see a lot of growth. Secondly, we are growing our physician base. We are No. 1 in the world in orthopaedics, and our doctors are the key reason we are as good as we are. We identify each doctor individually and hand-select them to be the right fit for HSS and patient care needs in Florida. In September, we are bringing on two additional physicians, one for joint replacement and the other for sports and shoulder surgery. Within our current footprint, we doubled the number of operating rooms in the past year, alleviating capacity constraints at our ambulatory surgery center. The move from surgery at a hospital-based setting to an outpatient surgery center, especially for orthopedics, is a continuing and potent trend right now.

How is the Hospital for Special Surgery leveraging new technologies and innovation to provide the best patient care services?

We hired a new Chief Digital and Technology leader who is analyzing HSS’s data and technology needs to inform our strategy for the future. He is a physician by background, and uses a physician lens when evaluating AI to solve problems in the clinical setting. The goal today is to solve real problems that are frustrating for our caregivers and patients. For example, getting appropriate approval from insurance companies to do surgery involves a lot of back-and-forth communication. Using AI to help with that process has been fantastic, and is a way we can use our human capital more effectively and efficiently. Another example is streamlining documentation processes for caregivers using ambient technology. This will provide caregivers more time directly interacting with patients rather than inputting information in the computer.

Looking to the future, we’re excited about changes in how healthcare will be delivered using AI.  There are opportunities in many areas, especially in radiology and the operating room.

HSS is ranked No. 1 in the world for orthopedics. To what do you attribute this success, and what are the latest developments in orthopedic care?

We are singularly focused on musculoskeletal care. We are focused on how people move, the research behind movement, and using that information to better prevent injuries, treat injuries, and have the best overall outcomes for patients.  This singular focus on musculoskeletal care makes HSS different and allows every person in the organization to focus on creating the best possible outcomes for every patient.

What are your thoughts on the rising costs of healthcare, and what is the HSS doing to address affordability while maintaining quality?

Healthcare costs are a challenge. We continue to look internally on how to do things more effectively and efficiently. One of the main things we do to reduce costs is to try to make surgery the last resort. Five years ago, we started tracking how many patients come to us for a second opinion and don’t need surgery.  We found that 53% of patients could be better served from a non-surgical approach.. Focusing on preventative care and rehabilitation before resorting to surgery helps bring costs down. We have three non-operative physicians who are the first step in the process to evaluate patients. They do everything they can before deeming surgery necessary.

What initiatives and programs is HSS implementing to promote healthcare education and workforce development?

We have a key focus on leadership development within the company. We have a high retention rate of team members and because of that we prioritize developing and supporting them through their career levels and into potential leadership positions. We also offer this to  established leaders as well who can also improve through managerial skill development.

What do patients expect when receiving high-quality healthcare services and attention?

People have high expectations for great healthcare, and we have high expectations of ourselves. We try to provide an experience that leaves the patient feeling well taken care of. We use the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as one of our measures of how patients feel about us, and our NPS score is 94. But, we are not satisfied and are always looking for ways to be better for those we take care of.