Saint Joseph's Medical Center expands its orthopedic practice

Saint Joseph’s Medical Center of Yonkers is making significant investments in enhancing its orthopedic services, it announced on Jan. 11.

Southern Westchester Orthopedics and Sports Medicine has joined Saint Joseph’s Medical Practice, PC, bringing renowned orthopedic surgeons, David Lent and Eric Spencer to its team. Along with this partnership, Saint Joseph’s is now offering robotic assisted orthopedic surgery for partial and total knee replacement and total hip replacement procedures using Stryker’s Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology.

Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology is an innovative solution that combines robotic precision with the skill and expertise of orthopedic surgeons. This state-of-the-art technology allows for personalized surgical plans based on the patient’s unique anatomy, resulting in improved outcomes, faster recovery times, and enhanced patient satisfaction.

“We are honored to have Dr. Lent and Dr. Spencer join our team,” said Michael Spicer, president and chief executive of Saint Joseph’s Medical Center. “Doctors Lent and Spencer bring the latest, cutting edge surgical technology to Saint Joseph’s Medical Center.

Both Dr. Lent and Dr. Spencer specialize in orthopedic surgeries utilizing the Mako robotic technology.

Dr. Lent is a board-certified orthopedic specialist with extensive experience in sports medicine, joint replacement, and minimally invasive surgery. He completed his medical education at NYU Robert I. Grossman School of Medicine. He then pursued his residency training in general orthopedics at Montefiore Medical Center, where he gained comprehensive experience in surgical techniques and patient care.

Dr. Spencer is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, minimally invasive arthroscopic surgical techniques, and orthopedic surgery of the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. He earned his medical degree from Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Saint Joseph’s Medical Center also initiated a partnership with the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, now the University of Mount Saint Vincent. That includes residency programs and the Saint Joseph’s School of Nursing at the College of Mount Saint Vincent.

— Gary Larkin

Montefiore get $700K in grants

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation — New York state’s largest foundation — announced last week its own commitment of $172 million in grants to 514 organizations and programs addressing the health-related needs of underserved New Yorkers in 2024.

One of the recipients is Montefiore Medical Center’s Community Health Worker Institute, which improves health equity by scaling community health workers in the Bronx. It received $700,000 in grants.

In the rest of the Bronx, 26 programs are receiving nearly $7 million to address a range of urgent community and health-related needs. The other recipients are:

• Fordham University, $310,000 to fund clinical mental health services throughout the Bronx

• Ariva, Inc., $200,000 for financial counseling and free tax preparation for Spanish-speaking residents

“Our grantees are on the front lines each and every day helping to improve outcomes for underserved New Yorkers,” said Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., executive chair of Visa and chair of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Board. “Our 2024 grants will provide over 500 nonprofits with the resources to bolster innovative and life-changing programs across New York state.”

The grants will focus on addressing urgent public health challenges, such as increasing access to care among underserved communities, addressing social determinants of health, building a more diverse healthcare workforce, and supporting mental and behavioral care for vulnerable New York residents.

Based on an analysis of community needs and feedback from frontline healthcare and social service providers, the foundation refined its grant-making strategy last year to focus on five core program areas: access to health care, basic needs, health care workforce, mental and behavioral health and a general fund.

In response to a range of urgent health crises in New York, the foundation increased funding to address the mental health crisis by 40 percent year-over-year, with the majority of grants dedicated to programs supporting youth. Grant funding to build and maintain New York’s healthcare workforce significantly increased by 57 percent, and the foundation maintained its commitment to supporting migrants and immigrants with over $18 million in funding spread across the five core program areas.

In the five years since its inception, the Foundation has now awarded approximately 2,700 grants totaling more than $800 million.

In spring 2023, the Foundation invited organizations to apply for funding through an open process, receiving over 1,500 letters of interest, both from returning grantees and new organizations. Nearly half of the year-end grants for 2024 programs were for $250,000 or more.

— Gary Larkin