Michael P. Ast, MD, Chief Medical Innovation Officer and Chief of the Knee Service at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), has been recognized among Becker’s Healthcare hospital and health system chief innovation officers to know.
Becker’s Healthcare highlighted leaders who “help their organizations stay ahead in an evolving care landscape by championing inventive, strategic and future-focused solutions. From introducing transformative technologies and refining patient care approaches to cultivating impactful collaborations, chief innovation officers are accelerating meaningful progress throughout healthcare.”
At HSS, Dr. Ast leads efforts in technology-enabled orthopedic care and scalable surgical pathways. He has introduced robotics, data-driven decision-making, and patient-specific solutions to improve outcomes and recovery in joint replacement procedures. Dr. Ast also developed joint replacement pathways now used in over 200 ambulatory surgery centers, aiming to expand access while maintaining safety, efficiency, and recovery standards.
A key part of his work is opioid-sparing pain management for joint replacement patients. These initiatives have significantly reduced opioid use while preserving strong clinical outcomes. In addition to collaborating with medical technology companies on the design of implants and tools used worldwide, Dr. Ast educates surgeons through trainings, webinars, and international observerships.
The Hospital for Special Surgery is recognized as a leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health from its base in New York City. It provides specialized orthopedic care both locally and through partnerships that extend services to regions such as Southwest Florida (official website). HSS is known for its consistent top rankings in orthopedics and holds multiple Magnet designations for nursing excellence (official website). The institution also emphasizes research in orthopedic surgery and rheumatology to enhance mobility and quality of life (official website).
Read the full article at beckershospitalreview.com.