Note from the Chair

This past year has proven to be one of both challenge and opportunity. Despite yet another COVID-19 wave, the department managed to pivot, adapt and even grow. We continue to maintain our commitment to providing outstanding orthopedic care during these unprecedented times and take pride in our many notable accomplishments.

The Montefiore Joint Replacement Center received its second consecutive Joint Commission Certification for Advanced Total Hip and Knee Replacement. This certification has been awarded to only 11 institutions within New York State and only four institutions within New York City. Montefiore's program is the only one in both the Bronx and Westchester to receive this national certification, and it demonstrates our extraordinary commitment to patient safety and surgical excellence.
 
The department’s Musculoskeletal Oncology Research Laboratory received an NIH R01 research grant, which was awarded to Dr. Bang Hoang for his group’s work in osteosarcoma. Generous philanthropic support continues to bolster these research efforts, underscoring the importance of this work in sarcoma and musculoskeletal oncology.

The department welcomed three additional full-time faculty members, including Dr. Alex Ha (Spine), Dr. Steven Koehler (Hand) and Dr. Arnold Wilson (Joint Replacement and Sports Medicine). These providers bring added and valued expertise, strengthening our commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care. We also wished Dr. Melvin Adler well, as he transitioned into retirement and the next phase of his life.

We continue to expand our footprint into Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Our orthopedic oncology and pediatric orthopedic specialists are seeing patients within a new state-of-the-art outpatient office at White Plains Hospital, increasing subspecialty access to residents living in the area. Similarly, our department partnered with the 20 physicians and surgeons of Northeast Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (NEOSM) in Westchester and Rockland counties to deliver orthopedic care across nine local offices, while adding the subspecialty expertise provided by the larger faculty department.  

The faculty and residency continue to conduct, present and publish cutting-edge clinical and translational musculoskeletal research, evident by the annual research symposium, the resident research presentations and participation in and representation at many national and international conferences. 

As we look forward to a new year, I am sure that new challenges and hurdles will emerge. However, I am also certain that we will remain steadfast in our commitments to outstanding clinical care, education excellence and innovative research.  

Neil J. Cobelli, MD
Chairman and Professor, Montefiore Einstein Orthopedic Surgery

Patient referrals

At Montefiore Einstein Orthopedic Surgery, we know that providing patients with the best possible care includes teamwork and trust. We work closely with our valued referring physicians to ensure open communication and reliable expertise.