Newswise — With more babies born in Brooklyn than anywhere else in New York City, NYU Lutheran Medical Center is taking several important steps forward to ensure the borough’s many expecting moms have access to the safest, most comprehensive care available.

Leading the way is the recent appointment of Ming C. Tsai, MD, as chief of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), who will oversee an extensive expansion of the hospital’s labor and delivery services.

Dr. Tsai is an accomplished board-certified practitioner who, during his distinguished career, has won several awards from the most prestigious associations in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. He joins a number of highly skilled physicians, nurses, and specialists at NYU Lutheran.

“Patients want the best care and that is our principal goal – to provide world-class, highly specialized services that meet the needs of Brooklyn’s families,” says Dr. Tsai, who previously served as chief of OB/GYN at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in Manhattan. “We want our patients to know that we care about their hospital experience, and we’ve launched initiatives here that really improve upon that.”

According to 2014 data from the New York State Department of Health (the most recent data available to date), 117,099 babies were born in New York City — 41,746 of them in Brooklyn. In response to the borough’s growing demand for more obstetrical services, NYU Lutheran has added around-the-clock coverage by maternal fetal medicine physicians and OB/GYN hospitalists. In addition, more than 20 nurses have been recruited for the labor and delivery unit along with six physician assistants, five midwives, and six postpartum nurses.

“A large percentage of babies born at NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan—about 50 percent—go home to Brooklyn,” said David Keefe, MD, the Stanley H. Kaplan Professor and Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Langone. “We’re committed to bringing a high level of care to NYU Lutheran while, at the same time, providing a higher degree of convenience. Our OB/GYN services in Brooklyn are improving and we are extremely pleased that an accomplished, experienced physician like Dr. Tsai is leading the effort.”

Accomplished Physician and Recognized Leader

A native of Taiwan who spent his childhood in Paraguay and Brazil, Dr. Tsai has been a member of NYU Langone’s Department of OB/GYN since 2006 and was appointed associate professor in 2014. During his tenure at Bellevue, Dr. Tsai received the hospital’s Distinguished Service Award for his tireless service. Under his leadership, obstetrics at Bellevue was awarded the Quality Improvement Award by the New York State Department of Health for the promotion of safety and quality in patient care. Dr. Tsai also helped Bellevue earn the nationally accredited Baby-Friendly USA designation.

In 2015, Dr. Tsai was selected a faculty advisor of the founding chapter of The Gold Humanism Award Honor Society, an appointment made by the office of Robert I. Grossman, MD, the Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO of NYU Langone. Dr. Tsai was the only NYU School of Medicine faculty member selected to lead the inaugural medical student chapter. As an educator, he has earned numerous commendations and awards from residents and medical students.

Experienced in gynecological endoscopy and minimally invasive surgery, Dr. Tsai earned the Special Excellence in Endoscopic Procedures Award from the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists in 2006. His research has included work on cesarean delivery, menstrual disorder, endometrial pathology, minimally invasive surgery, infertility, and healthcare disparities in OB/GYN. He has published 19 peer-reviewed journal articles, authored chapters in three medical books, and participated in more than 30 international and U.S. medical conference presentations.

Dr. Tsai earned his medical degree at Sao Paulo University Medical College in Brazil, where he also completed his OB/GYN residency and a clinical fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. He did postdoctoral research in reproductive medicine and infertility at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and served as a research associate at Albert Einstein Medical College in the Bronx. Dr. Tsai is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Mandarin, and Taiwanese.

To make an appointment with an OB/GYN specialist at NYU Lutheran Medical Center, please call 718.630.7000.