About the Institute

Anesthesiology is the discipline of medicine dedicated to the relief of pain and total care of the surgical patient before, during and after surgery. Anesthesia is the process of blocking the awareness of pain and other sensations. This allows the patient to go through different medical procedures and surgeries without the pain that would normally occur.

Our Team: Gregory A. Love, MD, Rob McGowan, PA-C

Chiropractic care is a discipline that tries to prevent and treat patient's problems by using spinal manipulation in order to improve joint function. The practice of chiropractic can be effective in treating back and neck pain, headaches, and other symptoms of spine-related problems.

Our Team: Scott Priske, DC, Karen Bridge, DC, CCSP

Clinical neuropsychology is a subspecialty dealing with the science of brain-behavior relationships. The clinical neuropsychologist specializes in the application of assessment and intervention principles based on the scientific study of human behavior across the lifespan as it relates to normal and abnormal functioning of the central nervous system.

Our Team: Jennifer L. Stoll, PhD, CRC

Electroneurodiagnostics is the study and recording of the electrical activity of the brain and spinal cord. Studies performed include electroencephalograms (EEG), electromyelograms /nerve conduction studies (EMG/NCS) and evoked potentials (EP). These diagnostic studies are performed by specially trained technicians or physicians.

Sleep Studies are performed by trained sleep technicians to diagnose sleep disorders. They will apply sensors to the head, face, chest, abdomen and legs. Patients are then asked to follow their normal sleep schedules and are monitored for six to eight hours in a private, comfortable bedroom with a home-like atmosphere. During that time, state-of-the-art equipment will monitor brain waves, eye movements, breathing, blood oxygen levels, heart rate and muscle activity. Once complete, a physician specializing in sleep disorders will interpret the results of the study, diagnose the sleep problem and prescribe a treatment plan.

Our Team: Lori Cherwenka, R.EEG T., RPSGT, Vanessa Hopper, R.PSGT., EEGT, EPT, Patricia Marler-Bentley, R.PSGT., R.EEGT., R.EPT

Health and rehabilitation psychologists are integral members of the health care delivery team, and they work closely with physicians to accomplish overall health-related goals. Health and rehabilitation psychologists strive to understand how biological, behavioral, and social factors influence health and apply psychological principles to promote optimal health and well-being. These specialized psychologists evaluate the emotional, cognitive, social, and interpersonal issues that result from and contribute to patients’ health status and medical treatment. Once assessed, interventions are designed to minimize the effects of medical conditions or assist with coping and adjustment with a focus on improved functioning and quality of life.

Health and rehabilitation psychologists engage in many professional activities, which may include the following:

• Diagnostic tests, interviewing, and behavioral observation
• Treatment planning and intervention
• Monitoring
• Coordination of care with physicians and other health care providers
• Prevention and wellness activities
  

Our Team: Howard Gartland, PhD, David Wakely, PhD

Neuro-Oncology is a multi-disciplinary field that includes medical oncology, radiation oncology, and neurosurgery. As medical oncologists, we focus on the systemic approach to treatment of primary brain and spinal cord tumors as well as metastatic disease to the brain and spine. We use traditional chemotherapy drugs as well as newer targeted agents to treat a wide range of malignancies. These medications can be given orally or intravenously or administered directly into the nervous system.

We offer the latest, most advanced treatment with a coordinated, team-based approach. Our objectives are to ensure safe administration of these treatments, to provide excellent care in managing the full range of symptoms related to the disease and to the side effects of the treatments, and to maximize patients’ quality of life. We also participate in clinical trials, bringing the cutting edge of cancer care to MIND.

Our Team: Emily Robinson, MD, Dena Green, MD

Neurology is a discipline that focuses on non-surgical treatment of nervous system disorders, including diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles.

Neurologists perform neurological examinations of the nerves of the head and neck; muscle strength and movement; balance, ambulation, and reflexes; and sensation, memory, speech, language, and other cognitive abilities.

Our Team: Sany Khabbaz, MD

Neuroradiology is a subspecialty of radiology devoted to diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the brain, spine and other parts of the nervous system. Common diagnostic procedures in neuroradiology include CT scanning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), myelography, discography and arteriography. Interventional procedures in neuroradiology are quite diverse, ranging from spinal biopsy to complex vascular procedures.

Our Team: Alan S. Muraki, MD, Jeremy McCue, MD

Neurosurgery treats diseases relating to the brain, spinal cord and nerve roots. Our neurosurgeons are specifically trained to treat:

• Comprehensive spine care including:
  • Ruptured discs
  • Arthritic changes causing compression of the nerve root and spinal cord
  • Nerve compression
  • Nerve root injury
• Injury to the brain and spinal cord
• Bleeding within the skull, brain, and spine
• Tumors of the brain and spinal cord
• Tumors of the pituitary gland and hearing nerve
• Abnormalities of spinal fluid flow

These complex problems require state-of-the-art equipment. Our StealthStation computer-assisted surgery system increases our surgeons’ accuracy during delicate and complicated procedures on the brain and spine. This minimally invasive system “sees” inside the body where surgeons can’t, or would have difficulty seeing, and allows smaller incisions for faster healing and fewer days
in the hospital.

Our Team: Christopher Sturm, MD, FACS, Merle Rust, MD, Jennifer Bestland, RN, APNP, Kelli Casper, RN, APNP

Occupational Medicine is a medical specialty that deals with the interaction of the individual employee and the work place. This includes such areas as ergonomics, the layout and design of the workstation and the tools needed; exposures to possibly harmful agents such as some chemicals, noise, or radiation; health and productivity of the employee; and work-related injuries. The goal is to protect the worker and to assist in the return to full productivity if an illness or injury occurs.

An Occupational Medicine physician is a Board Certified physician with a Masters Degree in Public Health who leads a team consisting of occupational health nurses, industrial hygienists, toxicologists, health physicists, ergonomic specialists, and occupational therapists to evaluate a work place issue and determine the best solution to the problems that may arise. The goal is to develop a work environment that enables the employee to achieve their full work capabilities and to maximize their earning potential.

Our Team: Stephen A. Lindahl, MD

Occupational therapy uses “occupation” or “productive” activities along with other techniques to restore function caused by injury, disease and aging. Goals include improving or restoring a person’s ability to care for one’s self, successful return to the workplace, and increasing a person’s independence within the community.

Our Team: Laurie Weber, MHS, OTR, CHT, Director

A physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. PM&R or physiatry is the branch of medicine emphasizing the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders, particularly those of the neuromusculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and pulmonary systems, that may produce temporary or permanent impairment. Physiatry is unique among medical fields in that its area of expertise is the functioning of the whole patient, as compared with a focus on an organ system or systems.

A physiatrist treats disorders such as:

• Back Pain
• Sports Injuries
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Chronic Pain
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Arthritis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

In addition to management used in general medical practice, physiatrists use therapeutic exercise, heat, light, water, electricity, bracing and prosthetic and adaptive devices to treat patients of all ages. Physiatrists also attend specifically to physiologic adaptation to disability and to preventing complications or deterioration secondary to disabling conditions.

The goal of the physiatrist is to provide medical care to patients with pain, weakness, numbness, and loss of function, so that they can maximize their physical, psychological, social, and vocational potential.

As people survive conditions that once would have been fatal, the field of physiatry is moving to the forefront of medicine. The specialty serves all age groups and treats problems that touch upon all the major systems of the body.

Our Team: Ronald A. Garcia, MD

Physical therapists educate people on the awareness and importance of body mechanics and proper posture, and use a number of ways to help patients improve or restore their balance, range of motion, coordination, mobility, strength, flexibility and endurance. Patients receive an individualized exercise program, so they can independently reduce or relieve pain, control symptoms, and prevent further injury.

Our Team: Kim Buchner, PT, Dawn Perez, PT

Radiation oncology is part of the multi-disciplinary field of Neuro-Oncology. Radiation oncologists use ionizing radiation to treat certain diseases affecting the nervous system. Most commonly these diseases involve tumors (benign or malignant), but other diseases, such as trigeminal neuralgia, can also be treated using radiation. Treatment is delivered by either conventional means or by new technology utilizing computer localization to minimize radiation exposure to healthy tissues.

Our Team: Laird Olson, MD

Our certified speech and language pathologists identify, evaluate and treat a wide range of speech, language, swallowing and cognitive disorders. Patients use voice or language exercises, audio-visual aids and other regimens to develop effective communication skills and new speech habits necessitated by head or mouth injuries, strokes, or congenital disorders.

Our Team: Margie Hannesson, MS, CCC/SLP, Kim Payne, MS, CCC/SLP