Hospital for Special Surgery

We're proud to recognize Carielys A. Johnson, Project Manager, IT Applications, as the August recipient of the HSS True Blue Award. This honor celebrates Carielys' exceptional leadership, project management expertise, and steadfast commitment to HSS values. Throughout her tenure, she has successfully led and supported numerous high-impact enterprise initiatives, including Workday implementations, the Epic rollout to Stamford, major operational and system transformation efforts, and service area consolidations. Her ability to foster collaboration, align stakeholders, and drive results has been instrumental to the success of these initiatives. Beyond her project work, Carielys is a champion of innovation and continuous improvement, helping colleagues build new skills through initiatives such as Monday.com Lunch & Learns and PMO support. She also plays a vital role in strengthening HSS culture through her involvement with the HOLA Employee Resource Group, the IT Activities and Wellness Committee, and the Unity Week Planning Committee, promoting inclusion, engagement, and connection across the organization. Carielys' impact extends far beyond the projects she delivers. Through her leadership, dedication, and commitment to excellence, she exemplifies what it means to be True Blue. Please join us in congratulating Carielys on this well-deserved recognition.

What happens when a patient and physician see disease burden differently? New findings from HSS rheumatologists, Jessica Gordon, MD, and Kimberly Lakin (Showalter), MD, published in Arthritis Care & Research, show that discordance between patient and physician global assessments in early systemic sclerosis is common. Analyzing nearly 1,000 patients and more than 3,700 visits from the CONQUER registry, the study found that more than half of patients reported overall health ratings that differed meaningfully from their physicians’ assessments. At HSS, research like this reflects our commitment to advancing highly specialized, patient-centered musculoskeletal care. By helping clinicians better understand the symptoms and lived experiences that matter most to patients, HSS continues to drive the science, quality, and service standards that inform complex care worldwide. 📖 Read the full study: “Discordance between patient and physician global assessments in early systemic sclerosis”: https://lnkd.in/eV5NwSiG

When it comes to high-complexity orthopedic care, defining success requires looking beyond the surgical procedure. In a newly published study in Arthroplasty, researchers from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Complex Joint Reconstruction Center at HSS examined post-operative outcomes following Extensor Mechanism Reconstruction (EMR) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Their findings point to an important consideration for clinicians worldwide: post-operative falls and traumatic fractures occur at a high rate, regardless of graft type or assistive device use. Read the full article, “A high rate of falls and traumatic fractures occurs after extensor mechanism reconstruction: a cohort study including both allograft and synthetic mesh grafts”: https://lnkd.in/eKxWGUja Sebastian Bean Allina Nocon PHD MPH Peter Sculco

What happens when promising therapies are tested in rigorous clinical trials? Sometimes the most important finding is what doesn't change. A multicenter Phase 3 trial in NEJM Evidence, co-authored by Robert Spiera, MD, Director of the HSS Scleroderma, Vasculitis, and Myositis Center, explored targeted therapy options for Giant Cell Arteritis. Dr. Spiera reported on patients with new onset or relapsing giant cell arteritis treated with secukinumab added to their prednisone, and found that remission at week 52 did not differ significantly from who did not receive secukinumab. 📖 Read the full article, "Secukinumab for Giant Cell Arteritis": https://lnkd.in/epxQpKCY

What happens when global experts come together to shape the future of patient care? At the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia & Pain Therapy (ESRA) Congress, HSS will be represented by Sandy Kopp, MD, FASA, a leading voice in regional anesthesia and President-Elect of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA). A renowned researcher, educator, and collaborator, Dr. Kopp is helping advance regional anesthesia, perioperative care, and orthopedic recovery through clinical innovation, research, and guideline development. As she notes, "Regional anesthesia is really more than just pain control. It's an integral part of modern orthopedic care." At HSS, that philosophy drives a multidisciplinary approach that brings together anesthesiologists, surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, and internal medicine specialists to improve recovery, reduce opioid use, and enhance patient outcomes. Looking ahead, Dr. Kopp sees personalized pain management as one of the field's greatest opportunities, emphasizing the importance of tailoring care to each patient's individual needs. As leaders from around the world gather at #ESRA2026 to exchange ideas and advance the field, HSS is proud to contribute to conversations that are helping define the future of musculoskeletal care.

Congratulations to Han Jo Kim, MD, spine surgeon and director of the Complex Spine and Scoliosis Center at HSS, for being named among Becker's Healthcare "20 Spine Surgeons to Know." Dr. Kim has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed articles and 65 book chapters and serves on the Scoliosis Research Society board of directors. His research spans spinal deformity, cervical spine disorders and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop more personalized treatment strategies and improve outcomes. https://lnkd.in/e-g-hKgf

Following a national search, HSS is pleased to announce the appointment of Pam Teufel (Pam T.) as Chief People Officer (CPO) effective September 8. Pam brings to HSS three decades of healthcare human resources experience ranging from academic medical centers to community health systems to private equity-backed start-ups. A 2025 recipient of the HR Lifetime Achievement Award, she has enabled several organizations to achieve higher performing, more resilient cultures, and national recognition for HR excellence. Pam will report to HSS president and CEO Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA. Pam comes to HSS from Main Line Health, where she has been Chief Human Resources Officer since 2021; she held that role previously at Saint Peter's Healthcare System and at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals. At Jefferson, she was the first functional leader hired to combine human resources across the university, the hospitals, and the physician practice plan. At Main Line, she built the organization's first comprehensive workforce strategic plan and helped that institution earn 'Great Place To Work' certification for five consecutive years. Earlier this year current CPO Reggie Odom announced his plan to retire, and HSS decided to reconfigure the role, integrating workforce strategy and culture. Reggie will shift to an advisory role upon Pam's start and will continue to support HSS through his retirement at the end of the year. https://brnw.ch/21x56T8

Can we standardize how surgeons measure and optimize joint balance during robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA)? A new study published in The Knee by investigators from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Complex Joint Reconstruction Center (CJRC) at HSS externally validated the Robotic Evaluation of Articular Laxity (REAL) 3X3 framework across 386 robot-assisted TKAs. As surgical technology generates increasingly sophisticated intraoperative data, the challenge is turning that information into standardized, actionable insights that can improve decision-making and patient outcomes. The REAL classification framework represents an important step toward creating a common language for evaluating knee balance during robot-assisted surgery. At HSS, we're not only leveraging advanced surgical technologies, we're helping define the evidence-based standards that guide their use worldwide. Read the full article, "Replication of the Robotic Evaluation of Articular Laxity (REAL) classification using intraoperative gap data in robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty," to learn more: https://lnkd.in/ejJE9kdU