Orthopedic patients in Northeast Florida looking for a specialty hospital now have one with the opening of the Performance Orthopedics and Spine Specialty Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent’s. This facility is part of a broader partnership between Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast and Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo), in conjunction with Southeast Orthopedic Specialists.

HOPCo and The Center for Bone and Joint Surgery have announced a partnership to develop a platform for musculoskeletal care in southeast Florida, according to a release. Combined with the proprietary care management platform of HOPCo, the partnership will strive to create a clinically integrated network of physicians in the Palm Beach market, according to the release.

As an orthopedic surgeon and veteran healthcare executive, Wael Barsoum, MD, sees the Biden administration taking steps to accelerate population health in orthopedics. Dr. Barsoum is current president and chief transformation officer at Phoenix-based HOPCo, a provider of musculoskeletal value-based outcomes, orthopedic service line and practice management. Here, he discusses his outlook for orthopedics in the coming years and what the Biden presidency could mean for the field.

HOPCo has acquired Stryker Performance Solutions, LLC.’s (SPS) value-based care business. HOPCo acquired SPS’ “BPCI-A [bundled payments for care improvement advanced] value-based care convener business and segments of SPS’ health system orthopedic service line analytics subscription business.” Several SPS employees will be joining HOPCo to ensure existing customers continue to receive service.

Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast and HOPCo have entered into an agreement to create a healthcare platform for musculoskeletal (MSK) care across north Florida. The agreement includes the development of ambulatory surgery centers and the first orthopedic specialty hospital in northeast Florida. The hospital will be located at the Ascension St. Vincent’s southside campus.