Penn Orthopaedics and Bayhealth Partner Up

Walter Eisner • Wed, Nov 24th, 2010
Copyright 2009-2010 RRY Publications

Penn Orthopaedics, recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the nation's top orthopedic hospitals, and Delaware's Bayhealth Medical Center have a new partnership.

“Delaware residents have unfortunately become accustomed to having to travel long distances to teaching hospitals in Philadelphia,” said Bayhealth's orthopedic medical director, Stephen Manifold, M.D. “Now they just have to dial one number or visit our website to access the precious resources of one of the country’s top teaching hospitals right in their backyard.”

L. Scott Levin, M.D., FACS, Penn Medicine's department chair, said this is the first time Penn Orthopaedics has partnered with another health system.

Partnership Highlights

One highlight of the partnership noted in the November 15 announcement includes patient interaction with medical school students via the Penn Orthopaedic Resident Program. The program, supervised by Manifold, will consist of fourth-year residents with significant orthopedic and orthopedic trauma skill. Residents will work on-site at Kent General and Milford under the supervision of Bayhealth’s orthopedic surgeons.

The affiliation also facilitates Bayhealth’s continued development of evidence-based clinical protocols. Bayhealth and Penn will share clinical techniques and clinical orthopedic medicine in the areas of joint replacement, hip fracture, spine care and general fracture care.

Bayhealth orthopedic surgeons will establish a “physician-to-physician” relationship with Penn orthopedic surgeons, allowing them to share information while offering an expeditious transfer to Penn in cases requiring special orthopedic attention. The surgeons will have full access to Penn Medicine teaching conferences and other continuing education programs.

Bayhealth employs over 2,900 with a medical staff of 458 physicians. The system is a member of the Penn Cancer Network and is an affiliate of the University of Pennsylvania Health System - Penn Cardiac Care. In the 2009 fiscal year, Bayhealth recorded 75,916 emergency department visits, 17,168 patients admitted to beds and 2,211 births.