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Mt. Sinai Medical partners with USTA and US Open

WHITE PLAINS, NY — The USTA announced today that The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City has been named the exclusive medical services provider and hospital of the USTA and US Open. In addition to providing on-site clinical care for tennis professionals competing in the US Open, Mount Sinai’s team of medical experts will lead the development of policies around injury prevention and will conduct educational outreach to promote the health benefits of tennis. This effort could impact millions of recreational players in the US and potentially draw new players to the sport. The new, national year-round partnership between Mount Sinai and the USTA is believed to be one of the most in-depth relationships between a sports entity and a health care provider.

In conjunction with the new partnership, Alexis Chiang Colvin, MD, Assistant Professor of Sports Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedics and a specialist in the surgical treatment of sports-related injuries of the knee, shoulder, and hip, will serve as the USTA’s Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Colvin has extensive experience treating professional athletes, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins, as well as collegiate athletes. She previously served as a consultant to the USTA for the US Open, providing medical care to the players. In her new role with the USTA, Dr. Colvin will assist the USTA with initiatives across multiple divisions, including player development, community tennis, and diversity and inclusion. She will also serve as the Medical Advisor to the U.S. Fed Cup team. “Players will be able to access Mount Sinai’s facilities throughout the year, providing continuity of care and access to Mount Sinai’s core orthopaedic team,” said Dr. Colvin.

Dr. Colvin’s colleague, James Gladstone, MD, Associate Professor of Sports Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine in the Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedics and Co-Director of Sports Medicine at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, will serve as Medical Advisor to the U.S. Davis Cup team.

Gordon Smith, USTA Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer said, “The vast resources of Mount Sinai will be a tremendous asset to the USTA, especially as we seek to set the sports industry standard for maintaining the health and wellness of our players.”

Kenneth L. Davis, MD, President and CEO of The Mount Sinai Medical Center underscored the commitment to health promotion that the two entities share. “Tennis has multiple health rewards, whether you compete on the world stage of the US Open, or play with family and friends at a local park,” he said. “We admire the USTA’s work in promoting the health benefits of physical exercise, and we are pleased to lend our expertise to public education efforts while providing expert treatment and strategies for injury prevention.”

According to Valentin Fuster, MD, Physician-in-Chief, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Director, Mount Sinai Heart, the benefits of tennis include reduced risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Youth outreach will be an area of mutual emphasis, and Dr. Colvin will be working with pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists of Mount Sinai’s Kravis Children’s Hospital as well as members of the Department of Cardiology to help promote tennis as a model youth sport.

Along with Drs. Colvin and Gladstone, Mount Sinai’s physician team supporting the USTA will include:

• Michael Yorio, MD, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics at Mount Sinai, and a physician at ProHEALTH (Director, Player Medical Services for the U.S. Open Tennis Championships since 2008)
• Deena Casiero, MD, a sports medicine physician who is currently a tournament physician at the US Open
• Brian Neri, MD, head team orthopedist for the New York Islanders and orthopaedics consultant to Hofstra University and Molloy College

Mount Sinai will also work with ProHEALTH Care Associates, one of the largest integrated physician group practices in the New York metropolitan area, which has provided medical services at the US Open since 1997.

The ProHEALTH team will be led by Senior Advisor Elliot Pellman, MD, the co-founder and Medical Director of ProHEALTH Care Associates and Clinical Professor of Medicine, Rheumatology and Orthopaedics at Mount Sinai. Additional consultants will include:

• Evan L. Flatow, MD, Bernard J. Lasker Professor and Chair of the Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedics at Mount Sinai
• Michael Hausman, MD, Dr. Robert K. Lippman Professor and Vice-Chair of Orthopaedics and Chief, Hand and Elbow Surgery at Mount Sinai
• Andrew C. Hecht, MD, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery and Co-Director of Orthopaedic Spine Surgery at Mount Sinai
• Steven Weinfeld, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Chief of the Foot and Ankle Service at Mount Sinai

While the new partnership is rooted in shared core values of promoting health and wellness, and preventing injury, it is also anchored by a shared commitment to meeting the needs of diverse populations. The USTA identifies and leads in removing barriers so that tennis is inclusive and reflects all of America. Located between the Upper East Side of Manhattan and East Harlem, Mount Sinai cares for one of the most diverse patient populations in the United States.

Posted on May 30, 2013
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