The Christ Hospital Joint and Spine Center

The Christ Hospital Health Network and Custom Design Benefits Announce Partnership for Clients’ Joint Replacements

Joint Care Center of Excellence Offers Total Hip and Knee Replacements

Cincinnati (February 23, 2015) – Clients of third-party administrator Custom Design Benefits (CDB) can now utilize The Christ Hospital Health Network’s Joint Care Center of Excellence for total hip and knee replacement surgery.

Employers with self-funded health-benefit plans through CDB – the largest independent third-party administrator of such plans in the region – now have the option of selecting The Christ Hospital for total hip and knee replacement surgery and having the costs of the surgery fully covered under the agreement between the parties.
CDB clients will be guided through the joint-care process by a nurse navigator who will help them choose a physician, provide information about the procedures, and offer seamless medical care from diagnosis to recovery.

The Center of Excellence program allows employers to contract directly with The Christ Hospital for specific procedures at a fixed price. Along with joint replacement, The Christ Hospital also offers Center of Excellence programs in heart and vascular services, women’s health services, and bariatric surgery.

General Electric, one of the world’s largest companies and a significant local employer, recently announced that its employees could choose the Center for Excellence for hip and joint replacements. The Christ Hospital is currently in discussions with other large national and local employers with self-funded health plans about establishing Center for Excellence partnerships.

“Providing the best outcomes and an exceptional patient experience in an affordable way is key,” said Timothy Cappel, executive director of population health management at The Christ Hospital. “Employers seeking effective cost containment strategies recognize the value of the fixed and competitive price The Center of Excellence charges for the procedure. Through these and other innovative approaches, The Christ Hospital Health Network is transforming the way our patients receive care.”

“We are pleased to partner with Custom Design Benefits by offering access to our Joint Care Center of Excellence to their self-funded clients,” Cappel said. “We plan on offering other Centers of Excellence case rates to CDB clients in the future.”

CDB’s standard administration services for its self-funded clients includes access to The Center of Excellence at no additional cost.

“We are pleased that we are able to make this cost-effective and high-quality service available to our clients,” said CDB President Julie Mueller. “Our clients and brokers rely on Custom Design Benefits to provide innovative cost containment for their employee benefits.”

Through the Joint Care Center of Excellence, eligible participants in need of a total-hip or total-knee replacement will receive a comprehensive package of medical care, including:

• Orthopedic physician assessment;
• Pre-surgical testing services;
• Joint-replacement surgery;
• Inpatient hospital care;
• Post-discharge services.

“Our clients’ eligible employees and dependents treated by The Christ Hospital Center of Excellence appreciate the no out-of-pocket costs and how the entire continuum of their care is coordinated,” Mueller said.

The Christ Hospital is enhancing its orthopaedic care with construction of The Christ Hospital Joint and Spine Center, part of a $280 million transformation of its main Cincinnati campus in Mt. Auburn. The Joint and Spine Center is scheduled to open in fall of 2015.

About The Christ Hospital Health Network: The Christ Hospital Health Network is a regional system of medical care that extends The Christ Hospital’s 125 years of exceptional care and leadership to more than 100 locations in the Greater Cincinnati area. The Network delivers integrated, individualized healthcare and wellness services through its comprehensive physician network, advanced specialty services, and the region’s Most Preferred Hospital (National Research Corporation). Its mission is to improve the health of our community and create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes, affordable care, and the finest experiences. To learn more about its locations and award-winning services, visit TheChristHospital.com.