Reflecting back on 2021, I am delighted to say that the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai emerged stronger and poised to take on the challenges and opportunities of a new year. The past few years have seen unprecedented times that, hopefully, we will never experience again. As Chair, I am extremely proud of the members of my Department, faculty, and staff alike.

We saw our team members pull together to help our community through the pandemic. Additionally, we partnered with our colleagues throughout the Mount Sinai Health System, caring for our patients and supporting our fellow medical colleagues. I received tremendous feedback about our performance under tough times and feel a great sense of pride over the Department we have built.

We had a strong finish to 2021.

Our sports medicine doctors once again staffed the US Open Tennis Championship. The COVID-19-related precautions took significant planning and execution, and once again our team made sure that proper precautions were being taken behind the scenes. We provided the latest in sports medicine treatment to the players, and overall, players and fans alike enjoyed this iconic event.

In early 2022, the C.V. Starr Hand and Upper Extremity Center opened. This world-renowned center houses hand, elbow, and shoulder surgeons, as well as occupational therapists and hand research staff. The Center offers a comprehensive care for patients with a spectrum of upper extremity disorders from the very simple to the most complex.

Additionally, the construction of a Spine Center is underway at Mount Sinai West. This center will house orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, physiatrists, and support staff to provide state-of-the-art, world-class spine care to our patients on the West side. This multidisciplinary approach to spine care will offer comprehensive treatment in a beautiful and patient-centered setting.

On the horizon for 2022, we will open an ambulatory surgery center for Orthopedic Surgery and a surgical innovation center. The surgical innovation center will provide research and training space for our Department and facilitate surgical simulation training for our residents and fellows. We look forward to our ambulatory surgery center being the focus of our sports medicine, hand, foot, and ambulatory joint replacement programs.

I hope this message finds you well, and I look forward to sharing our annual report.