News Room  Press Releases
June 2006 (First Release)
Contact: Melissa Chefec, MCPR Public Relations, 203-968-6625
For Immediate Release
Orthopedic Foundation for Active Lifestyles Named Internationally Approved Teaching Center
Greenwich CT orthopaedic foundation receives international distinction
NY, NY and Greenwich, CT, June 2006 – The Greenwich-based Orthopedic Foundation for Active Lifestyles has
been approved as a teaching center by the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopedic
Sports Medicine. The Foundation becomes one of 120 such teaching centers worldwide so designated for their
ability to host doctors and other health-care professionals who require advanced training in arthroscopy, knee
surgery and orthopedic sports medicine.
"Being named a teaching center fits perfectly with our mission of medical education and research in the area of
orthopedic and sports medicine," said Kevin Plancher, M.D., founder and chairman of the Foundation. Dr. Plancher
is a leading orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist and head of Plancher Orthopaedics & Sports
Medicine PLLC with offices in New York City and Connecticut. "When we started the Foundation five years ago, our
vision was to bring the latest procedures and technology to practitioners worldwide," he said.
That vision has been accomplished through the Foundation’s BioSkills Lab, a training facility that can accommodate
six to 24 students or physicians at six stations outfitted with suction, irrigation and electrical power. In addition to its
on-site capacity, the BioSkills Lab is electronically capable of offering interactive educational seminars and anatomy
workshops to physicians, researchers and fellows off-site through live-feed line capabilities.
The International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopedic Sports Medicine has approved 45 other
teaching centers in the United States, confers the designation on facilities that provide training and research in
arthroscopy and orthopaedic sports medicine. ISAKOS was formed in 1999 with the merging of the International
Arthroscopy Association and the International Association of the Knee and has a membership of more than 1,850
orthopedists from 72 countries.
Dr. Plancher, who is an official orthopedic surgeon for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, will be attending the
Society’s conference in Florence, Italy, in May 2007, where he will be leading several instructional review cases.
About 70 countries are represented every year at the Society’s conference.
In addition to its continuing education role, the BioSkills Lab is used for a variety of other professional and
community purposes. Recent uses have included medical equipment demonstrations and training, "bench"
experiments of medical devices prior to surgery and a local class of middle-school students being "doctor for a
day."
Numerous educational and rehabilitation seminars for university medical and nursing students, community
members and other neighboring health care agencies are also offered by the Foundation, which also runs clinical
research trials. These trials provide volunteer participants with access to medications not yet available to the
general public and include patient education, diagnostic tests such as electrocardiograms and blood tests and
follow-up visits.
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