Helping an addict to recover is often a series of steps taken one at a time. Saratoga Hospital is taking that literally in its new hike fundraising campaign, the Above and Beyond Challenge, presented by the Adirondack Trust Co.

 The Challenge encourages businesses and individuals to take advantage of the scenic geography of Upstate New York, while raising funds and awareness for the Addiction Medicine Program at the Saratoga Community Health Center. 

This new program features volunteer-led hikes up peaks across the Adirondacks, including the 46 High Peaks, the Lake George Twelve Peaks and the Saranac Six Peaks. The hikes are free and will include a committed adherence to responsible hiking with respect to the natural beauty and protection of the trails, hospital officials said.

 The Above and Beyond Challenge is the brainchild of Stephan R. von Schenk, president and CEO of Adirondack Trust Co. and former chair of the Saratoga Foundation Board, who is an avid hiker and outdoorsman.

The Patient Experience Project recently announced new partnerships with strategic investors through an agreement aimed at supporting the agency’s growth and evolution.

PEP, based in Saratoga Springs, will combine its business with the global life sciences platform of Water Street Healthcare Partners, a strategic investor focused exclusively on the healthcare industry, and JLL Partners, a leading middle-market private equity firm.

“I am excited to announce this agreement, which is a natural next chapter for an expanding and innovative business like PEP,” said PEP founder and president Dan Bobear. “It will give us the resources we need to bring additional services to our clients, advance our mission to improve the patient experience, and take the agency to the next level.”

Following a rigorous approval process with months of preparation, Saratoga Hospital has been designated a Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence (DICOE) by the American College of Radiology (ACR), said to be the highest form of recognition an imaging department can receive nationally. 

The designation applies to the imaging facilities at both the hospital and Wilton Medical Arts locations, the first to earn this recognition in Upstate New York north of Orange County and east of Buffalo, according to the hospital.

“Meeting the requirements to earn this accreditation in all the imaging modalities that we provide was a daunting process, but we knew we not only could do it, but should do it. Our patients deserve no less,” said radiologist Dr. Philip Fear, president of Millennium Medical Imaging and chairman of Saratoga Hospital’s Medical Imaging Department. “A lot of hard work by our exceptional radiology staff went into this achievement, a dedication they give to their work every day.”