By Dan Murphy
St. John’s Riverside Hospital CEO Ron Corti recently highlighted “The A Team of Doctors” that makes up SJRH’s medical team. One of those doctors is Dr. Vishal Mehta, Director of Orthopedics at St. John’s Medical Group and St. John’s Riverside Hospital, who recently spoke with Denise Mananas, Associate Vice President of External Affairs at St. John’s Riverside Hospital, on a recent episode of SJRH’s Riverside Reflections
Dr. Mehta recently joined the St. John’s Medical Group as the Director of Orthopedics. “I’ve been operating and seeing patients for years, and when the opportunity arose to come here, I found St. John’s to be the perfect place to grow my practice. I love this community so much.”
Part of Dr. Mehta’s orthopedic training before coming to St. John’s was a fellowship at Georgetown Hospital, where he obtained “a super-specialization in sports medicine and joint replacement.” This experience included treating professional athletes and members of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, the NBA’s Washington Wizards, and the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
“During my fellowship, I had the great opportunity to work with both professional and college teams. This allowed me to learn how to treat all types of patients, but it also put things into perspective.”
“Now I treat a lot of patients who want to get back to playing basketball on the weekend with their friends. As an athlete, I can relate and understand what their goals are.”
While Dr. Mehta’s orthopedic specialty includes joint replacement of the knee or hip and sports medicine, “my philosophy on sports medicine is that nonoperative treatment always comes first. I never rush any patient into surgery. I see a lot of patients who start off not needing a joint replacement, and we are able to maintain the joint until a joint replacement is needed.”
“I treat a lot of younger patients who have some level of arthritis but who are too young for joint replacement. My job is to help prevent the deterioration of that joint. That is what sets me apart. Even though I’m a surgeon and this is my passion, there are certain things prior to surgery we can do to see if it helps. Nonoperative treatments can include physical therapy and non-opioid medications or interventions.”
“We can refer my patients to the pain management team at St. John’s, led by Dr. Erosa, to collaborate on remedies. I review the risks and benefits of both options with the patient.
Dr. Mehta uses robotic technology called MAKOplasty® for his orthopedic surgeries. “Robotic technology helps you make more precise measurements of the knee or hip. It takes those joint replacements to the next level and improves the longevity and satisfaction of the patient, as well as how well they do after surgery. It also prevents dislocation.
“I have switched to only MAKOplasty and only robotic surgery to maintain that excellence. When we do a hip replacement, it must be perfect every time, and the robot is essential. We understand the new technologies and how to treat patients the right way.”
Dr. Mehta performs orthopedic surgeries at St. John’s Riverside Hospital’s Dobbs Ferry Pavilion, home to the Westchester Orthopedic Center, where physicians perform joint replacements and sports medicine surgeries on-site.
“I have performed surgeries in numerous operating rooms across the country and love operating at Dobbs Ferry. The patients can get in and out, and because we do so many surgeries, the team is well-versed and specialized so that everything is very efficient.”
“Patients come in prior to surgery and have their questions answered by the nursing staff. It’s a smaller hospital (five operating rooms), so the team is fantastic, and our patients appreciate the personalized care.”
St. John’s Medical Group and St. John’s Riverside Hospital have helped Dr. Mehta fulfill his life passion.
“When my partner and I decided to open our practice, we knew Westchester was the best place to be. We found St. John’s Riverside Hospital to be a true community hospital and wanted to be part of that community. St. John’s is a gem of a hospital located on the beautiful Hudson River. We knew this was the right place to be.
“Joint replacement and sports medicine can provide instant gratification to the patient when, after surgery, some patients can walk out the next day (or in days?) when they had severe pain prior.”
“That makes it all worthwhile when the patient hugs you and says they have no pain. That keeps me going.”
Dr. Mehta has also become a recognizable face on social media, where he posts short informative videos on orthopedics and health care. https://www.instagram.com/dr.vishalmehta/?hl=en
Watch the interview at (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ShAG5WzmWw&t=259s)
To learn more, visit St. John’s Medical Group, 1022 N Broadway, Yonkers, NY 10701. 914-904-4036
