PARTNERSHIP TO MAKE TECHNOLOGY, PREMIER SURGEONS AND FACILITIES AVAILABLE THROUGH CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE NATIONWIDE
Hall of Fame Health and global medical technology leader Smith+Nephew today are announcing a partnership to deploy the company’s digital health portfolio for former NFL players seeking joint replacement through a quality care network.
The rollout will include Hall of Fame Health selectively joining with surgeons and facilities across the United States that demonstrate leading clinical outcomes, certifying those locations as Centers of Excellence and ensuring these advances in care are available to all communities nationwide.
The partnership between Hall of Fame Health and Smith+Nephew is designed to supplement other health care options for ex-players, such as those available through the National Football League and its Player Care Foundation, which assists NFL retirees.
“From the beginning, our mission has been to provide world-class services to former NFL players and their families and to do so in a way where the programs we build can have a greater impact across our communities,” said Jeremy Hogue, CEO of Hall of Fame Health. “Our partnership with Smith+Nephew is a terrific example of that commitment.”
Hogue said Smith+Nephew’s position as a global leader in joint replacement technology already make them a strong partner, but once he learned about their Positive Connections ASC initiative and ARIA digital episode of care management platform, that’s when he was convinced they were the ideal fit for partnering with Hall of Fame Health. “The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s brand stands for excellence – the best of the best. Our partners have to represent that same thing in their fields, and Smith+Nephew does that.”
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame is iconic, and it has been terrific to learn about their efforts into health care for former players, not just Hall of Famers, but everyone who played the game,” said Skip Kiil, Smith+Nephew’s President of Global Orthopedics. “Our organization is honored to be involved in this partnership, which will enable us to deliver our products to a wide network of former professional football players across the country.”
In October, Hall of Fame Health and 12 founding “partner providers” announced agreements to deliver medical care to former NFL players. The sites include premier hospitals, academic medical centers, physician groups and orthopedic centers in areas of the country where thousands of NFL retirees live. It is anticipated that many of these providers could become part of Hall of Fame Health’s Centers of Excellence network.
Smith+Nephew’s Positive Connections Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) initiative, which launched last February, is designed to connect solutions, programs and networks to help ASCs operate more efficiently. The company subsequently introduced its ARIA digital episode of care management platform in August. ARIA is designed to help support total joint episodes from beginning to end by connecting patients and providers, generating PROMs data and driving consistency in surgical site selection.
Hall of Fame Health’s development of Centers of Excellence and a national care network aligns with Smith+Nephew’s strategy of improving patient care within the outpatient setting through the utilization of digital health products.
“Smith+Nephew shares the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s commitment – its Mission – of ‘Honoring the Heroes of the Game,’” said David Baker, President and CEO of the Hall of Fame. “And we honor all players, whether they are Hall of Famers or someone who appeared in only one NFL game, by helping ensure they receive quality medical care long after their playing days are over. Smith+Nephew will fill a huge need in providing world-class care for joint-related issues.”
Baker recalled comments former San Francisco 49ers owner and Class of 2016 Hall of Fame member Eddie DeBartolo Jr. made at his Enshrinement and said today’s announcement helps fulfill DeBartolo’s vision.
“Make no mistake, history has its eyes on all of us right now,” DeBartolo said, referring to the long-term care of NFL players. “It's about the respect and gratitude we feel for these athletes who have given their all to this game. We've got to do all we can to look after one another and take care of one another, not just when the uniform is on, but when the uniform comes off, too.”
CONTACTS:
Rich Desrosiers, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations
Rich.Desrosiers@ProFootballHOF.com; 330-588-3622
Rachel Gutting, Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives
Rachel.Gutting@ProFootballHOF.com; 330-588-3671
ABOUT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AAM accreditation is national recognition for the museum’s commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service.
Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience “The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!” that chronicles America’s most popular sport. Fans can also enjoy the Hall of Fame Store at the Hall, and online at www.profootballhof.com/store, for merchandise from all 32 NFL clubs plus the Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the Store support the Hall’s Mission.
Construction on Hall of Fame Village Powered by Johnson Controls, a mixed-use development project, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.
ABOUT HALL OF FAME HEALTH
Hall of Fame Health is a joint venture between the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Sovereign Healthcare, created to develop services and solutions for all persons associated with the game of football, and extending these efforts to impact our communities. The entity seeks to play an integral role in shaping health care services and benefits, pioneering innovative new business ventures, partnering with market leaders in various go-to-market strategies, coordinating game-changing research, raising funds for those in need of financial assistance or services, and advocating for better health care for all. For more information about Hall of Fame Health, visit HOFHealth.com.
ABOUT SMITH+NEPHEW
Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business that exists to restore people’s bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose “Life Unlimited.” Our 17,500+ employees deliver this mission every day, making a difference in patients’ lives through the excellence of our product portfolio and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global franchises of Orthopaedics, Advanced Wound Management and Sports Medicine & ENT.
Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in more than 100 countries and generated annual sales of $5.1 billion in 2019. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN). The terms “Group” and “Smith+Nephew” are used to refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.
For more information about Smith+Nephew, please visit www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.
CONTACT
David Snyder, Director Commercial Communications, Smith+Nephew
David.Snyder@smith-nephew.com; 978-749-1440