On Monday, Nov. 3, 2008, the Marc A. Asher, MD, Comprehensive Spine Center at The University of Kansas Hospital opened to patients. It provides a complete range of state-of-the-art diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services in one convenient facility.

Patients can meet with their physicians, undergo diagnostic tests and treatment, and attend therapy sessions without traveling to different locations. The 22,000-square-foot facility has 27 exam rooms, four specialized diagnostic rooms, 11 pre-/post-interventional procedure bays and a 4,000-square-foot outpatient rehabilitation gym.

Lisa Hermes, MD, the center’s medical director, credits her colleagues with establishing the facility’s interdisciplinary, evidence-based and coordinated approach to care. A key focus is communication among providers, with a goal of relieving pain in the most appropriate and safest manner for our patients’ well-being and quality of life.

During their initial visit, patients will likely see a spineologist – a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician. The spineologist evaluates each patient, taking a complete medical history and conducting a physical exam, including any appropriate diagnostic testing.

Under One Roof

If the condition is acute or complex, several specialists will work together to evaluate the patient. When the
team reaches a diagnosis, the patient receives information on the condition and participates in designing the treatment plan. This may include consults with orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation medicine specialists, neurologists or psychiatrists, as well as physical and occupational therapists or clinical psychologists.

If necessary, various treatment options will be used, including non-surgical therapies, minimally invasive procedures and surgery. To make informed decisions, patients and their families have access to the center’s spine learning and resource center. It houses a lending library, models of the human body, support group information and Internet access to spine-related sites.

The new spine center honors Marc A. Asher, MD. For more than 35 years, Asher has dedicated his life to the academic practice of orthopedic surgery, including significant research furthering knowledge of treating spinal deformities. He received the rank of University Distinguished Professor in 2003.

The center’s spine learning and resource center is named in honor of George Varghese, MD. Chair of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, he has been a lifelong champion for the treatment of spine diseases and disorders.

The center’s conference room is named in memory of the late James P. McLean, MD. McLean was medical director of the yet-to-be-opened spine center. His work was cut short when he lost his life in a snowboarding accident in January 2008. His family and colleagues established a memorial fund in his name.

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