Zimmer Biomet’s public pledge in support of health equity reflects a company-wide focus on improving lives.
We are in the midst of a health equity crisis. “Nearly 80% of patient outcomes are tied to social drivers of health (SDOH),” noted Tamara Huff, M.D., M.B.A., founder of Vigeo Orthopedics, “which are factors outside of a surgeon’s direct control.”
The Global Health Equity Network’s Zero Health Gaps Pledge was created in response to this crisis, representing a commitment from companies in the healthcare sector to make health equity central to their businesses. Among the organizations dedicated to endorsing the pledge is global medical technology leader Zimmer Biomet.
“I am proud to sign the Zero Health Gaps Pledge to affirm Zimmer Biomet’s decades-long commitment to tackling musculoskeletal health disparities, and hold ourselves accountable on the global stage for driving measurable and impactful strategies to bring quality medical care to underserved communities,” Ivan Tornos, president and CEO of Zimmer Biomet, said about the decision.
A company like Zimmer Biomet joining the Zero Health Gaps Pledge is critical to overcoming inequities in the healthcare system, as these disparities are largely caused by factors outside of healthcare providers’ control.
“For example, hip and knee arthroplasty reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid are often lower than rates from private payors,” said Dr. Anna Cohen-Rosenblum, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee reconstruction at Louisiana State University School of Medicine. “This creates an incentive misalignment between surgeons, hospital systems, and patients, and the highest-risk patients are often unable to access care.”
Commitment
Zimmer Biomet’s commitment to health equity is anything but sudden. “It’s who we are,” said Edmond Davis, senior director of health equity at the company. “It’s the mission of Zimmer Biomet to ‘alleviate pain and improve the quality of life for people around the world.’”
To this end, expanding its longtime commitment to advancing health equity through corporate philanthropy, the company established a Health Equity division in 2023, and many of the nation’s foremost healthcare leaders have taken note of Zimmer Biomet’s commitment.
“Incorporating the principles of health equity can help drive future innovation, addressing the needs of all,” said Dr. Ronald Delanois, M.D., FAAOS, a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at LifeBridge Health. “Basically, words have value, but actions have greater value. This action by Zimmer Biomet is unique in the medical device space.”
“As a surgeon, I believe that improved patient outcomes are fundamentally driven by innovation, and true innovation requires inclusivity,” said Dr. Alonzo Sexton, M.D., a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon with Genesis Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. “Crafting solutions that meet the varied needs of every community, ensuring advancements in healthcare benefit everyone — this approach not only fosters better health outcomes but also propels the entire field forward by addressing the real-world complexities of patient care.”
Community
In order to support this commitment to health equity, Zimmer Biomet has launched a Community Centered Care (C3) framework that will work to align the interests of surgeons, hospitals, payors, and the community to increase patient access to quality healthcare within underserved communities.
“C3s’ efforts in this arena rest on a collaboration between physicians and industry leaders,” said Adam Sassoon M.D., M.S., an orthopedic surgeon at UCLA Health. “The physicians bring ‘boots-on-the-ground’ experience and industry brings emerging technology, capital, and other resources.”
Davis acknowledges that Zimmer Biomet’s ambitious equity goals can’t be reached alone. “It will take strategic partnerships with hospital systems, community-based organizations, payors, and with medical societies like the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society, which has been committed to addressing health disparities for well over two decades,” he explained, noting the company’s goal of impacting at least 1 million patients that lack access to quality orthopedic care by the end of 2028.
From pledge to action
Zimmer Biomet is also leveraging technology to combat health inequities. Of particular note is a new co-marketing arrangement with RevelAi (formerly Azra Care).
“Integrating AI into healthcare is not just about technological advancement, but about creating a more just, equitable healthcare system,” explained Christian Péan, M.D., M.S., RevelAi’s CEO and an orthopedic surgeon at Duke Health. “We aim to enable personalized interventions that extend beyond clinical care to encompass socioeconomic and cultural factors.”
Zimmer Biomet’s commitment to health equity hasn’t gone unnoticed. “They are the only company I am aware of that has a robust health equity agenda totally ingrained in all of their business units,” noted Nana Sarpong, M.D., M.B.A., an orthopedic surgeon at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “I believe they will surpass their goal of 1 million patient impacts easily!”
With its expertise as a bold and innovative MedTech company, Zimmer Biomet’s commitment to address health equity will help more people access the care they need when they need it.
Click here to learn more about Zimmer Biomet joining the Zero Health Gaps Pledge