Mount Sinai Receives $6 Million Gift from Derfner Foundation
Mount Sinai has received a $6 million donation from the Derfner Foundation to name the new Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery suite within the Department of Surgery. The gift was made possible by Jay Lieberman, trustee of the Derfner Foundation and member of the Department of Surgery Advisory Board. The suite will be named The Derfner-Lieberman Family Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
“The creation of The Derfner-Lieberman Family Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Mount Sinai will enable more innovative and technologically advanced approaches to plastic and reconstructive surgery, resulting in fewer complications, less pain and quicker recovery to improve overall patient care,” says Mr. Lieberman. “The Derfner Foundation is honored to be a part of Mount Sinai’s long history of surgical leadership.”
Designed by Kilment Halsband Architects and featuring first of its kind technology developed by Microsoft Corporation, the suite which launched in 2018 is reinventing the medical practice environment and patient experience. Located on the 8th floor of Mount Sinai Faculty Practice Associates at 5 East 98th Street, The Derfner-Lieberman Family Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery will include the most advanced tools and technology that will revolutionize the way physicians and patients interact and communicate.
Each of the nine modern private patient exam rooms is equipped with a 55-inch state-of-the-art touchscreen Microsoft HUB computer, allowing for a more comprehensive and interactive review of pre-surgical planning; better visualization of anticipated surgical results following reconstructive surgery for a cancer diagnosis, an accident, or gender-affirming procedures; and a more enhanced consultation experience for the patient and the surgeon.
For patients who are unable to visit the suite in person, it is also equipped with the latest telemedicine technology for remote consultations with a Mount Sinai plastic surgeon. Additionally, the plastic surgery suite employs a top-level concierge team to ensure a coordinated, seamless visit allowing patients to feel at ease and more confident throughout the process.
“This gift is yet further proof of Mr. Lieberman and The Derfner Foundation’s commitment to surgical excellence,” said Michael L. Marin, MD, The Jacobson Professor of Surgery; Chairman, Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Surgeon-In-Chief, Mount Sinai Health System. “It allows us to provide an elevated level of care for patients in a setting that features unrivaled technology and innovative design, and fosters opportunities for our expert, board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeons to continue to pioneer the field.”
The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Mount Sinai has a long tradition of providing ground-breaking plastic surgical care to the most underserved. The division was founded by Arthur J. Barsky, MD, who notably used plastic surgery procedures at Mount Sinai to improve the lives of women, historically referred to as the Hiroshima Maidens, who survived the atomic bomb blast of World War II.
In 2016, Mount Sinai became the first institution in New York City to offer gender affirmation surgery, which is confirmation of the department’s commitment to provide comprehensive care for the transgender community. To date, the team has performed more than 1000 operations, making Mount Sinai not only one of the first institutions in the country to offer these surgeries, but now one of the busiest.
With this important and visionary gift, the Derfner Foundation continues its generous history of philanthropic giving at Mount Sinai, impacting surgical care for generations to come.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.
Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 11 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report's® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2024-2025.
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