Hospital for Special Surgery Named Official Hospital for Dominican Winter League Team

New York, NY—October 1, 2015

Los Leones del Escogido announced today that Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has been named the team’s official hospital. This new partnership provides the Dominican Republic-based baseball club with access to a world leader in orthopedics and rehabilitation. David Altchek, M.D., sports medicine surgeon at HSS, will be the team’s medical consultant.

"We are very excited to announce this partnership," said Eduardo Najri, owner of Los Leones del Escogido. "Not only is HSS the leading orthopedic hospital in the world, but this partnership also provides our players and their respective clubs with peace of mind that they will be in the best hands possible with Dr. Altchek."

"It is a natural fit to be affiliated with Escogido as the Dominican Republic is the single largest international country producing MLB players," said Dr. Altchek.  "HSS physicians have a long tradition of treating professional baseball players and are committed to providing a broad continuum of care to these athletes."

Dr. Altchek is a world-renowned sports medicine surgeon who specializes in the field of elbow, knee and shoulder orthopedic surgery. He is co-chief emeritus of the Sports Medicine & Shoulder Service at HSS. Dr. Altchek currently serves as the medical director of the New York Mets and is a medical consultant for the NBA.

"This new association with Hospital for Special Surgery will ensure positive outcomes and efficiency from our players as their health and well-being is our main priority," said Moises Alou, general manager of Los Leones del Escogido. "Our players can now get back in the game with their best efforts."

"It is an honor to be selected as the official hospital for the Escogido baseball club," said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO of HSS. "We serve patients from around the globe seeking the best orthopedic and rheumatologic treatment. Escogido has shown its commitment to providing the best medical care to its players and we are proud to play a leading role in helping these elite athletes maintain long and healthy careers."

This is the first international sports team partnership for HSS. Currently, the hospital provides care to USA Basketball, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the Brooklyn Nets, New York Giants, New York Knicks, New York Liberty, New York Mets and New York Red Bulls, among others. HSS is also the first designated National Medical Center of the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) National Medical Network.