{"id":214828,"date":"2024-05-29T05:00:04","date_gmt":"2024-05-29T09:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=214828"},"modified":"2024-06-05T12:59:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-05T16:59:08","slug":"uconn-health-celebrates-opening-of-the-brain-and-spine-institute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2024\/05\/uconn-health-celebrates-opening-of-the-brain-and-spine-institute\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Health Celebrates Opening of The Brain and Spine Institute"},"content":{"rendered":"

With neurology<\/a>\u2019s arrival in January, followed by cranial neurosurgery<\/a>, comprehensive spine<\/a> care, and radiology<\/a> in April, all elements of The Brain and Spine Institute at UConn Health<\/a> are now in place at its dedicated location just off the main campus in Farmington.<\/p>\n

\"Outdoor
From left: Representing the specialties of The Brain and Spine Institute at UConn Health are Dr. John Greenfield, neurology chair, Dr. Ketan Bulsara, neurosurgery chief, Dr. Hilary Onyiuke, Comprehensive Spine Center co-director and founder, Dr. Isaac Moss, orthopedic surgery chair, and Dr. Leo Wolansky, radiology chair. (Tina Encarnacion\/UConn Health photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Leaders and lawmakers celebrated the opening of the new building at 5 Munson Road, which also is home to the new free-standing, nonhospital outpatient imaging facility known as UConn Health Imaging.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Brain and Spine Institute exemplifies the mission of UConn Health, providing exceptional quality and integrated patient care, a positive patient experience, and a great teaching environment that sparks creativity, innovation, and research, with the bonus of being all under this one phenomenal roof,\u201d says Anne Horbatuck, chief operating officer of the UConn Medical Group and vice president for ambulatory operations. \u201cWe look forward to growing our team and providing high-quality services for the health and well-being of the Farmington Valley communities and all of the patients across Connecticut\u2019s 169 towns that we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

The concept of the Institute\u2019s multispecialty collaboration took shape in 2021, though in less consolidated physical space.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Bruce Liang, in one of his final acts as interim CEO, speaks at the grand opening ceremony for The Brain and Spine Institute at UConn Health, May 29, 2024. (Tina Encarncion\/UConn Health photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Institute is home to our world-class neurologists, neurosurgeons, spine experts, as well as state-of-the-art precision imaging equipment,\u201d says Dr. Bruce Liang, medical dean and UConn Health\u2019s interim CEO. \u201cIt is all about clinical care, patient satisfaction, and access.\u201d<\/p>\n

While most of the outpatient neurology services, which had been in the Outpatient Pavilion on UConn Health\u2019s lower campus, aren\u2019t new, the location \u2014 along with the concerted effort to coordinate care in a single location \u2014 is.<\/p>\n

\u201cWonderful things are happening, and wonderful things will continue to happen, right here in this building,\u201d says state Rep. Mike Demicco, whose district includes Farmington. \u201cAnd the beneficiaries are my hometown of Farmington, as well as the whole state of Connecticut.\u201d<\/p>\n

State Rep. Francis Cooley, whose district includes Farmington,\u00a0agrees.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a great day for Farmington, it\u2019s a great day for the greater Hartford area, it\u2019s a great day for Connecticut, and I think it\u2019s a great day for the United States, because this is a premiere institution that does a great job,\u201d Cooley says.<\/p>\n

\"Four
State Rep. Mike Demicco tests the augmented reality technology UConn Health’s spine surgeons use, under the guidance of (from left) Dr. Isaac Moss, Dr. Scott Mallozzi, and Brendan Butcher from the vendor Augmedics. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Guests at Wednesday evening\u2019s grand opening ceremony went on guided tours of the two-story building, which includes teaching spaces, academic offices, and nearly 50 exam rooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIncreasingly, it is difficult for patients to get access to doctors, particularly to medical specialists,\u201d says state Sen. Matt Lesser. \u201cSo where do they go? Increasingly, the place where they go for world-class care is right here, to UConn Health, and that\u2019s why UConn Health is a really vital part of our health care system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Specialties include spine, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, epilepsy, headache, stroke, and normal pressure hydrocephalus. Patients who have comprehensive spine surgery, cranial neurosurgery, and comprehensive spine surgery also are seeing their providers at the new location.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had any number of visits with UConn Health to dig deep into the ongoing and wide-ranging benefits of having such a world-class public hospital and teaching institution in our state,\u201d says state Rep. Kate Farrar, \u201901 (CLAS). \u201cAnd the opening of this Institute is just one other example of that.\u201d<\/p>\n