Douglas Padgett, MD, Named Inaugural Associate Surgeon-in-Chief and Deputy Medical Director

Mathias Bostrom, MD, to Succeed Padgett as Chief of Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Service

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health, today announced the creation of an Office of Medical Leadership under the direction of incoming Surgeon-in-Chief and Medical Director Bryan T. Kelly, MD. The new structure will ensure the highest standards of quality in patient care, teaching, research, and innovation. The office will include a new position of Associate Surgeon-in-Chief and Deputy Medical Director.

HSS has been the nation’s top-ranked hospital for Orthopedics for the past nine consecutive years according to U.S.News & World Report, and is a world leader in research, innovation and education. HSS currently ranks third in the nation for Rheumatology, and as a Best Hospital for Pediatric Orthopedics. It provides continuing medical education to more than 27,000 medical specialists in 130 countries In 2018, HSS provided care to 135,000 patients from all 50 states and 80 countries, and performed more than 32,000 surgical procedures.

Douglas E. Padgett, MD, has been appointed the first Associate Surgeon-in-Chief and Deputy Medical Director at HSS. Dr. Padgett has served as chief of the Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Service (ARJR) at HSS since 2008. He will assume his new role on July 1, joining the HSS Office of Medical Leadership.

“HSS has earned the privilege and responsibility of making the highest quality musculoskeletal healthcare more widely available to people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe,” said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO. “Formation of the HSS Office of Medical Leadership, and Dr. Padgett’s appointment to join Dr. Kelly there, is the culmination of careful planning to equip HSS to further advance quality, value and impact.”

Last month HSS announced that Dr. Kelly will become Surgeon-in-Chief and Medical Director on July 1, succeeding Todd J. Albert, MD. Dr. Albert will focus on his practice as a spine surgeon and other leadership activities within HSS, as the third actively serving Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus.

“HSS is at the forefront of driving high quality patient care and outstanding surgical outcomes primarily because of the unparalleled expertise, insight and experience of its medical staff,” said Dr. Kelly. “Dr. Padgett’s extensive experience and proven leadership will be valuable assets in this newly established role. I look forward to working with him closely to help advance HSS leadership.”

Together, Drs. Kelly and Padgett will work to further patient care, education, research and innovation, and ensure compliance, quality control measures and standards are upheld as HSS expands. They will also identify and support emerging initiatives that advance injury prevention, non-surgical care, and the reliability and efficiency of surgery when necessary.

“I am immensely excited about this opportunity to build on the strong foundation that currently exists,” explained Dr. Padgett. “HSS has a long-standing commitment to excellence and I’m honored to work with all the outstanding and talented physicians and colleagues to advance our history of delivering excellent patient care and service.”

Dr. Padgett joined HSS in 1993. He advanced to serve as chief of the HSS Hip Service from 2006 to 2014, and in 2008 became chief also of the HSS ARJR Service. Dr. Padgett has served on the Board and remains a member of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and is a past president and current member of the Hip Society. He is also a member of the Knee Society and the International Hip Society. As a Battalion Surgeon in the early 1980s in Grenada and Lebanon, he was awarded the Naval Achievement Medal. He was also deployed to the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991.

Long-time HSS Leader and Educator Bostrom to Succeed Padgett

Mathias P. Bostrom, MD, will succeed Dr. Padgett as chief of the ARJR Service at HSS on July 1. Dr. Bostrom has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, been the principal investigator of NIH funded research, and served as director of HSS Education and Academic Affairs since 2003. He has led the HSS Fellowship Program since 2002, and its nationally top-ranked Residency Program since 2005, and has served as chief of the HSS Hip Service since 2014.

The ARJR service has been leading the field both in innovations and volume of hip and knee replacements since HSS physicians pioneered the first modern knee replacement over four decades ago. HSS surgeons now perform more than 10,000 hip and knee replacements each year, which is more than any other hospital in the nation.

“HSS is an academic medical center committed to training future generations of orthopedic surgeons,” said Dr. Padgett. “Our patients are able to benefit from our experience with the most complex cases, the latest treatment options and the newest technologies and most importantly, a strong team of clinicians. Dr. Bostrom is well suited to lead our service as we continue to provide superior outcomes to our patients.”

Dr. Bostrom specializes in hip and knee surgery including complex reconstructions and treatment of musculoskeletal infections. A graduate of University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins, he completed his residency and two fellowships at HSS before starting his medical practice there in 1996. Dr. Bostrom currently practices at the HSS main campus in New York City and also sees patients at HSS Westchester.

“I’m honored to take on this new opportunity, and dedicated to leading this talented team of surgeons as we continue to uncover innovative solutions for joint pain,” said Dr. Bostrom. “HSS is recognized as the leader in joint replacement and I look forward to continuing our mission to provide high-quality care and the best patient experience.”

Dr. Bostrom is a member of the Hip Society, the Orthopaedic Research Society, and the International Society for Fracture Repair.

“Dr. Bostrom is a distinguished physician leader at our organization and plays a major role in the HSS Education Institute especially with our Global Academic Partnerships and our residency and fellowship programs,” said Mr. Shapiro. “Dr. Bostrom personifies our tradition of enabling the most discerning students, physicians and researchers to advance their knowledge and skills while championing approaches to patient care and safety.”