Our Kyle Ratke was able to discuss the importance of the Minnesota Timberwolves' partnership with Mayo Clinic with three of Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine's co-directors before the Grand Opening of The Courts at Mayo Clinic Square. With so much collaboration going on at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, it only made sense that Dr. Edward Laskowski (professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and co-director), Dr. Michael Stuart (professor of orthopedics and co-director) and Dr. Jonathan Finnoff (medical director, Mayo Clinic Square) worked together to answer these questions for Timberwolves.com.
Q: To have this new facility for the Timberwolves and Lynx is very important, as is having Mayo Clinic in the heart of Minneapolis. What were your first impressions now that Mayo Clinic Square is nearly complete?
A: Mayo Clinic is proud to partner with the Timberwolves and Lynx on this new, state-of-the-art facility -- the first of its kind in the NBA and WNBA. It will serve as a model for professional sports teams around the world. Having the practice facilities and corporate offices next to our sports medicine center makes it easier for athletes to get exceptional medical care, and for us to communicate with the teams. Furthermore, the tens of thousands of people who live or work downtown now have convenient access to Mayo Clinic and its sports medicine center.
Q: What is some of the feedback that Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine has received so far?
A: Our patients and athletes have been very pleased. Every patient or athlete -- whether sports is their job or something they do for health or recreation -- receives the same, world-class care that Mayo Clinic is known for. We’ve put together a team of the best sports medicine professionals to serve the Timberwolves, Lynx and the Twin Cities. We also have equally impressive medical and performance-enhancing equipment to help athletes and patients reach their goals.
Q: Having a place like Mayo is such a unique opportunity for any athlete. What can Mayo give the Timberwolves and Lynx players that they maybe didn’t have before?
A: Mayo Clinic was recently ranked the No. 1 hospital in the United States by U.S. News and World Report. Mayo Clinic provides virtually every medical specialty and service available in modern medicine – a breadth of services that no other medical group or facility offers. Every member of the Mayo Clinic team focuses on one core tenet: the needs of the patient come first. But what really sets Mayo Clinic apart are its people and the interdisciplinary, collaborative nature inherent to Mayo Clinic. By focusing on what’s important, we can deliver extraordinary medical care to our patients and athletes.