HSS Names Steve Lee, MD, new Chief of Hand, and Ernest Sink, MD, new Chief of Hip Preservation
Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), ranked No. 1 in the nation for Orthopedics for the past 10 consecutive years by US News & World Report, today announced the appointments of Steve K. Lee, MD, as chief of Hand and Upper Extremity Service; and Ernest L. Sink, MD, as chief of Hip Preservation Service.
“HSS has a long history of highly specialized surgeons whose knowledge and experience have provided the very best orthopedic care,” said Bryan T. Kelly, MD, surgeon-in-chief and medical director of HSS. “The appointments of Drs. Lee and Sink will help us continue to elevate our unique services and continue our exclusive focus on the issues that can be debilitating to a person’s movement and livelihood.”
On November 1, Dr. Lee will succeed Edward A. Athanasian, MD and Dr. Sink will succeed Robert L. Buly, MD, both of whom have helped lead and build their Services over the last nine and four plus years, respectively, and will continue their practices as chiefs emeriti. In the new roles, Drs. Lee and Sink will lead highly-integrated multidisciplinary programs focused on the treatment of simple and complex conditions associated with their areas of expertise.
“We have sustained our leadership position in the industry due to our extraordinary physician leaders who are dedicated to advancing the field,” said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO of HSS. “We thank Drs. Athanasian and Buly for their commitment to HSS and look forward to expanding our growth even further with Drs. Lee and Sink at the helm.”
Dr. Lee focuses on hand, wrist, and elbow conditions as well as brachial plexus and peripheral nerve problems. A graduate of Duke University School of Medicine, he joined HSS in 2011. Additionally, Dr. Lee is the Research Director for the HSS Center for Brachial Plexus and Traumatic Nerve Injury.
“Our hands are so critical to our daily lives, yet they can often be taken for granted,” said Dr. Lee. “I look forward to leading our amazing team as we help both children and adults overcome bone and soft-tissue conditions in the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow.”
Dr. Sink specializes in the treatment of hip disorders from newborns into adulthood (40’s) including hip dysplasia. He performs hip preservation procedures such as Periacetabular Osteotomies, Surgical Hip Dislocation and open hip reductions in children. A graduate of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dr. Sink joined HSS in 2011.
“When people think of hip pain, they often think hip replacement is the only option,” said Dr. Sink. “However, there is a wide array of treatments focused on joint preservation that can help young, active patients restore a high level of function. We have seen that timely intervention for certain hip conditions could slow or even reverse their progression.”
The Hip Preservation Service is a multidisciplinary service with a range of experts in their respective fields who as a team are committed to patient care, education and research regarding improving pain and function in patients with pre-arthritic hip disorders.
HSS has the lowest readmissions rate in Orthopedics in the U.S. In 2018, HSS provided care to 139,000 patients from all 50 states and 80 countries, and performed more than 32,000 surgical procedures.
HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 14th consecutive year), No. 2 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2023-2024), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2023-2024). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fourth consecutive year (2023). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.
