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SpineCare Clinic’s Team Approach
is Key to Comprehensive Care The spine, the mass of bone, tendons and ligaments that supports the weight of the body, requires a team of experts to treat it properly; there is no simple “back doctor.”
The SpineCare Clinic at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin draws on the skills of physical and occupational therapists, chiropractic physicians, neurosurgeons, and physiatrists who work in concert to provide patients one point of entry to address spinal problems.
“When we evaluate patients, we assess the source of their pain, determine their diagnosis and establish a coordinated, individualized treatment plan upfront,” says Diane Braza, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician and director of the clinic.
For more than a decade the clinic has helped patients suffering from back or neck injury, whiplash disorders, herniated disks, sciatica and other spine-related disorders.
The SpineCare Clinic’s holistic approach contrasts with the common linear model, where a primary care physician refers patients to one office for physical therapy, another office for chiropractic services and to yet another for a surgical consult.
“Our program has a strong focus on spinal reconditioning and rehabilitation,” Dr. Braza says, “allowing for fewer surgeries. Less than 5 percent of the clinic’s patients undergo surgery compared with 12 percent of patients in a comparable population.”
The key to lasting improvements is going beyond a traditional interventionist approach that amounts to solely “striking” at a pain problem without adapting lifestyle changes Dr. Braza says. “We show patients how to incorporate good spine health throughout their daily life activities, through active exercise and lifestyle modifications” she says.
Source: Every Day Date: May - July 2006 | Medical Reviewer: | Diane Braza, MD | | Medical College of Wisconsin | | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician |
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