In early 2020, South Florida will have a new option for highly specialized orthopedic care. Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)—ranked number one in the nation for orthopedics for the past 10 straight years by U.S. News & World Report—is putting the finishing touches on a state-of-the-art, 54,000-square-foot facility in West Palm Beach. HSS Florida will offer comprehensive care, including physician consultations, advanced diagnostic and imaging services, high-level rehabilitation, ambulatory surgery, and sports performance programs.
HSS is nationally recognized for the highest standards of care, outstanding outcomes, and leading-edge research. Its hundreds of thousands of successful patient outcomes include more orthopedic surgeries than any other hospital in the U.S., and athletes from more than 80 elite sports teams worldwide. HSS has the lowest readmission rates in orthopedics and among the lowest infection rates in the nation. From preventative care to complex surgical procedures, people travel to HSS from all 50 states and more than 100 countries.
“HSS is coming to Florida to make what is by far the highest quality of musculoskeletal care more convenient for some of the most discerning people in the world,” said Louis A. Shapiro, CEO and president of HSS. Area resident and HSS chairman emeritus Kendrick R. Wilson III added, “This community is keenly aware that quality matters, quality varies, and HSS quality is the best in the world for a lot of good reasons.”
When choosing a doctor and hospital for an orthopedic injury or painful condition, the right care can mean the difference between a life of limitations and living life to the fullest, according to Dr. Bryan T. Kelly, surgeon-in-chief and medical director of HSS. “The correct diagnosis and treatment by highly trained, specialized health professionals provide the best chance for a good outcome,” he says. “The same expertise, best practices, and knowledge that we offer in New York will be available to our Florida patients.”
Over the years, thousands of Floridians have traveled to the New York City hospital to receive care. Johanna Faricelli is among them, and she credits HSS physicians with enabling her to live the life she loves. As a professional equestrian, a very active lifestyle had taken a terrible toll on her hip and spine. Despite severe arthritis in her hip, a previous doctor told her she was too young for hip replacement surgery, although at that point, she could barely walk. “I finally said, ‘Life is too short to live in pain, and not be able to move.’”
Ms. Faricelli went to HSS for a second opinion and received the highly specialized care she needed to get back in the saddle—literally. “I wanted to go where I was confident in the doctors, confident in the hospital. Surgery is a big decision, so I was going to find the very best.”
Within months of successful surgeries, she was thrilled to be riding her beloved horses once again. “It’s kind of like my body got a reset,” said Ms. Faricelli.
Dr. David Altchek, co-chief emeritus of the HSS Sports Medicine Institute, is among the specialists who will be seeing patients at the HSS Florida location. “It’s exciting to have the opportunity to share our expertise in sports medicine and other orthopedic specialties with discerning health care consumers in Florida,” said Dr. Altchek, who also serves as medical director for the New York Mets. “We expect to treat a wide range of ages and conditions, and we are delighted to become a part of this active, vibrant community.”
