The new Spine Health Center takes a revolutionary approach

Every day, millions of people wake up to debilitating back and neck pain. Simply walking from their bed to the bathroom can send sharp shooting pain down their spine, and even radiate to their arms and legs.

Too often, the search for pain relief results in an unresolved – or even exacerbated – condition.

STARTING AT THE CENTER

The Spine Health Center at Orange Coast Medical Center opened in June to help individuals suffering from neck and back pain find suitable and effective treatment and support.

The Spine Health Center provides coordinated and comprehensive non-operative and surgical solutions. The Center offers a multispecialty approach that ensures collaboration between specialists, resulting in the best possible outcome for every patient. Specialties include:

  • Physical medicine and rehabilitation (physiatry)
  • Physical therapy
  • Imaging
  • Anesthesiology and pain management
  • Chiropractic
  • Acupuncture
  • Behavioral health and biofeedback
  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Orthopedic surgery

MAPPING THE COURSE

As part of the neck and back wellness program, a dedicated patient navigator supports patients every step of the way, starting with the first visit. From scheduling appointments and educating patients, to facilitating collaboration between specialties and guiding patients through the recovery process, the patient navigator touches all aspects of patient care.

“The patient navigator is just one piece of our success equation,” says Theresa Stern, M.P.T., director of the Spine Health Center. “We’ve put all the pieces in place to ensure the best possible patient outcomes.

Under the medical leadership and expertise of Medhat Mikhael, M.D., and Barry Ceverha, M.D., spine specialists quickly assess, evaluate and diagnose all patients to determine the best treatment option.

“Most patients tolerate their back and neck pain for months before they seek treatment,” says Dr. Mikhael, pain management specialist and co-medical director of the Spine Health Center at Orange Coast Medical Center. “That’s already too long. We want to get them back to their normal daily lives as quickly as possible, which is why we don’t waste any time.”

RIGHT FIT

At the Spine Health Center, all avenues of treatment are explored, including minimally invasive procedures, physical therapy and pain management. Advanced imaging and leading-edge diagnostics empower physicians to make informed decisions for maximum patient results.

“For some patients, surgery is the only answer, but we definitely exhaust all the conservative interventions first. In fact, the bulk of my patients – maybe 9 out of 10 – don’t require major surgery,” says Dr. Ceverha, neurosurgeon and co-medical director of the Spine Health Center at Orange Coast Medical Center. “Every patient is unique, and so are our techniques.”

For more information, please call (714) 614–2317, or visit our section on Spinal Care. Listen to Dr. Medhat Mikhael's podcast on Advances in Caring for Back and Spine Pain