LifeBridge Health Receives $10 Million Gift to Establish the Kahlert Surgical Innovation Institute

“We are excited to support a bold initiative that builds on the strength of LifeBridge Health’s clinical programs and embraces the promise of technology,” says Greg Kahlert, president of The Kahlert Foundation. “But technology alone doesn’t improve care; it takes knowledge, practice and teamwork. That’s why a central focus of the Institute will be education and hands-on training, equipping surgeons, residents, medical students and clinical teams with the skills and experience to deliver exceptional care.”

The Kahlert Surgical Innovation Institute will serve as a hub for integrating advanced tools and techniques, including robotics, artificial intelligence and simulation-based training, into real-world care. With a focus on education, collaboration and continuous improvement, the Institute will help LifeBridge Health remain at the forefront of surgical excellence.

“Surgical practice is advancing rapidly; however, innovation isn’t about adopting technology for its own sake. It’s about choosing the right state-of-the-art tools to meet the needs of the people we serve and ensuring that our providers have the education and training to use these technologies effectively,” says Joseph Bennett, M.D., chief of surgery at LifeBridge Health. “We are thankful to The Kahlert Foundation for entrusting us with their vision to invest in healthcare innovation and education to elevate care for people in our communities.”

The gift from The Kahlert Foundation is the largest single gift to LifeBridge Health itself in the health system’s 27-year history. The Kahlert Surgical Innovation Institute will be based at Carroll Hospital in Westminster, Northwest Hospital in Randallstown and Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. At Sinai, the Kahlert Institute will support faculty positions for the Regional Medical Campus with George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences where third- and fourth-year medical students do their clinical rotations.

“Healthcare and education are central to The Kahlert Foundation’s mission, and community is at the heart of everything we do,” says Ellen Finnerty Myers, vice president and executive director of The Kahlert Foundation. “The Kahlert Surgical Innovation Institute brings these priorities together through a powerful partnership with LifeBridge Health—an organization that shares our deep commitment to improving lives across our shared communities.”

The Kahlert Surgical Innovation Institute builds on a long-standing relationship with LifeBridge Health. A $5 million gift to the Carroll Hospital Foundation in 2014 helped fund the construction of the William E. Kahlert Regional Cancer Center, named in honor of Greg Kahlert’s late father, who established the foundation in 1991 and co-founded Carroll County-based manufacturing company EVAPCO.

The Kahlert Foundation has also supported Couplet Care in the Family Birthplace at Carroll Hospital, hospice care and The Kahlert Foundation Simulation Center, which opened in 2023. Most recently, the foundation contributed funds to purchase a state-of-the-art linear accelerator for advanced cancer treatment at the William E. Kahlert Regional Cancer Center. The Kahlert Foundation also supported a 3D printer used to create custom assistive devices for rehabilitation patients through the Anil Bhave Biomechanics & Engineering Labs Research Division in the Rehabilitation Institute at Sinai.

“LifeBridge Health truly lives its mission to care for the people in the communities it serves, and it’s especially meaningful that many EVAPCO employees are part of those communities and will benefit from this partnership,” concludes Greg Kahlert. “The Kahlert Surgical Innovation Institute reflects my father’s belief in the power of innovation and teamwork, and we are proud to continue his legacy by helping to advance care in our communities for generations to come.”