2026 Annual Conference

Charles S. Day, MD, MBA, System Medical Director, Value Specialty Care, Henry Ford Health System and Vice Chair of Academics and Value Integration and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Henry Ford Health, and Michelle Yi, BA, MD Candidate, Wayne State University

This poster introduces the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) as a unified formula to measure value in specialty care, integrating cost and outcomes in one framework. Drawing on real-world institutional pilots, the presenters will demonstrate how health systems can use ICER, alongside detailed costing methods like Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC) and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), to inform service design, site-of-care optimization, and technology investment. Attendees will learn how adopting this framework can help move specialty services from volume-based operations toward sustainable, data-driven value creation.

Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

1. Explain how the ICER provides a unified approach for evaluating cost and quality in specialty care

2. Apply the ICER framework to compare the value of different treatment options and procedural settings using both cost and outcome data

3. Integrate value-based measurement methods—such as ICER, TDABC, and PROMs—into institutional decision making to optimize specialty care delivery and financial sustainability

Intended Audience: Chief Financial Officers, Chief Medical Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Population Health Officers, Chief Quality Officers, service line executives, specialty care administrators

Charles S. Day, MD, MBA, System Medical Director, Value Specialty Care, Henry Ford Health System and Vice Chair of Academics and Value Integration and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Henry Ford Health, and Kyrillos Ayoub, BA, MD Candidate, Wayne State University

Despite the increasing push toward high-value care, most hospitals lack the cost accounting infrastructure needed to evaluate the real-world value of surgical innovations. Instead, charge-based proxies obscure the true cost of care, leaving leaders without the data necessary to make informed, sustainable investment decisions. This session presents a pioneering health system-based cost–outcome analysis comparing robotic-assisted and conventional total hip arthroplasty (THA). Using time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) linked to patient-reported outcomes, this study offers a replicable framework for leaders to evaluate innovation through a value-based lens. Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies to strengthen cost transparency, optimize resource allocation, and align surgical innovation with both clinical and financial performance.

Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

1. Differentiate between charge-based and cost-based accounting methods and explain how TDABC provides a more accurate measure of procedural costs

2. Interpret the relationship between clinical outcomes (e.g., HOOS-JR, QALY) and total procedural cost to assess the true value of surgical innovations such as robotic-assisted THA

3. Apply value-based decision-making frameworks to evaluate technology adoption and guide investment strategies for high-cost surgical innovations within their own organizations

Intended Audience: Chief Financial Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Medical Officers, Chief Innovation Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, Chief Surgical Officers, service line administrators, and operations or finance leaders evaluating surgical innovation and ROI

Charles S. Day, MD, MBA, System Medical Director, Value Specialty Care, Henry Ford Health System and Vice Chair of Academics and Value Integration and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Henry Ford Health, and Hadi Elmenini, BS, MD Candidate, Wayne State University

As robotic-assisted surgery adoption accelerates, questions remain about its true value as compared to conventional approaches. This poster presents a cost-effectiveness analysis of robotic vs. traditional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) performed in Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) and Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs). Using advanced cost accounting methods and quality-adjusted outcome data, the study reveals how surgical setting and methodology influence overall value, cost efficiency, and patient outcomes, challenging assumptions about robotic surgery’s cost and return on investment.

Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

1. Interpret cost-effectiveness metrics, including Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYK) and cost-per-QALYK, to assess surgical value

2. Differentiate the cost and quality drivers that impact robotic versus conventional total knee arthroplasty across outpatient settings

3. Apply value-based decision frameworks to guide technology adoption and optimize surgical service line performance

Intended Audience: Chief Financial Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Medical Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, Chief Surgical Officers, service line administrators, and operations or finance leaders evaluating surgical innovation and ROI

Lisa Rice, MD, FACOG, Associate Chief Medical Officer; Bart Caldwell, MBA, Associate Chief Medical Officer; Elisa Bledsoe, MHA, Director of Specialty Care; and Pam White, MBA, Director of Specialty Care, Salem Health Hospital and Clinics

Faced with long surgical wait times and underutilized OR capacity, Salem Health redesigned its perioperative operations using a Lean-driven “Procedural Traffic Control” model. By applying an incident command structure, leadership united surgical, operational, and data teams to identify system bottlenecks, establish shared performance metrics, and create real-time visibility into patient flow. This multidisciplinary approach improved efficiency, aligned resources, and positioned the organization to achieve measurable gains in surgical throughput, access, and financial performance.

Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

1. Differentiate between capacity expansion and optimization strategies to address surgical access challenges

2. Construct a cross-functional problem-solving framework that enhances data visibility and accountability across surgical operations

3. Assess how unified leadership structures and shared metrics can sustain performance improvements in OR utilization and patient flow

Intended Audience: Chief Operating Officers, Chief Medical Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, Chief Surgical Officers, Chief Ambulatory Officers, and perioperative or operational leaders responsible for access, throughput, and financial performance

Lisa Rice, MD, FACOG, Associate Chief Medical Officer; Bart Caldwell, MBA, Associate Chief Medical Officer; Elisa Bledsoe, MHA, Director of Specialty Care; and Pam White, MBA, Director of Specialty Care, Salem Health Hospital and Clinics

Salem Health Medical Group embarked on a multiyear effort to standardize its surgical specialty operations—transforming fragmented workflows into a unified system that supports organizational goals for patient throughput and OR efficiency. Through mapping the full surgical value stream, developing a standardized “model clinic” playbook, and implementing predictive staffing and access models, the team aligned daily operations with enterprise-level performance targets. This data-driven, collaborative approach has improved scheduling accuracy, reduced variation, and positioned the organization to better forecast staffing and surgical capacity across specialties.

Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

1. Describe how value stream mapping can identify operational bottlenecks and improve patient flow from referral to surgery

2. Apply standardized clinic playbooks and KPIs to align specialty practices and enhance throughput

3. Evaluate how predictive staffing and scheduling models support sustainable OR utilization and workforce planning

Intended Audience: Chief Operating Officers, Chief Medical Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, Chief Surgical Officers, Chief Ambulatory Officers, and operational leaders overseeing specialty care, access, and perioperative services

Patrick Cockey, Senior Vice President, Operations; Ryan Patterson, Senior Director, Ambulatory Operations; and Kaitlyn Hunt, Operations Manager, Jefferson Health

Jefferson Medical Group applied a data-driven simulation model to assess exam room allocation, patient throughput, and staffing patterns within its new ambulatory tower, revealing opportunities to improve utilization, streamline flow, and support long-term growth. This adaptable tool enables leaders to visualize clinical sessions, model new space designs, and evaluate consolidation scenarios before implementation. Early results show significant promise in aligning resources, space, and patient demand to drive operational excellence across ambulatory care settings.

Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

1. Explore how simulation modeling and data analytics can inform exam room allocation, staffing optimization, and clinic flow 

2. Identify opportunities to apply data-driven approaches to space utilization and site consolidation across ambulatory networks

3. ssess strategies for aligning physical space, workforce capacity, and patient demand to enhance efficiency and support sustainable growth 

Intended Audience: Chief Operating Officers, Chief Medical Officers, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Ambulatory Officer, Chief Operations or Facilities Executives from health systems and large medical groups

Matthew Safern, Senior Director, JMG Clinical Practice Analytics, and Patrick Cockey, Senior Vice President, Operations, Jefferson Health

Jefferson Health implemented a structured quality incentive program to drive measurable improvements across its ambulatory physician network of over 4,300 clinicians. Beginning with primary care in 2024, physicians were assigned meaningful specialty-specific goals tied to a $10,000 per cFTE annual incentive. Monthly performance reports and a web-based dashboard provided real-time visibility into metrics and financial impact. The program expanded in 2025 to include Cardiology and Gastroenterology and is being deployed across all specialties in 2026. Early outcomes demonstrate improvements in preventive care, including a 5% increase in colorectal cancer screening rates among primary care patients, and dramatic gains in specialty access metrics following dashboard implementation. By linking structured goal setting, aligned incentives, and transparent reporting, Jefferson Health has enhanced clinician engagement, closed quality gaps, and improved patient outcomes.

Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

1. Describe methods for developing specialty-specific physician quality incentive goals

2. Implement strategies for providing real-time performance feedback via dashboards and reporting tools

3. Evaluate the impact of aligned incentives on clinician engagement, quality metrics, and patient outcomes

Intended Audience: Chief Medical Officers, Chief Quality Officers, Chief Population Health Officers, Chief Operating Officers and Chief Strategy Officers, Chief Information Officers and Chief Data Officers, senior leaders in clinical operations, physician management, or population health seeking practical approaches to tie incentives to measurable outcomes and close care gaps