Hearst Foundations help launch one-of-a-kind neuroscience institute
The Central California Neuroscience Institute at Community Regional Medical Center received a $100,000 grant from the William R. Hearst Foundations to be used for outpatient care in the East Plaza Medical Office Building currently under construction on the hospital’s campus.
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| The new East Plaza Medical Office Building on the Community Regional Medical Center campus is slated to open in fall 2009. The Hearst Foundations $100,000 grant will support the purchase of equipment, furnishings and program development for outpatient neuroscience care on the building's third floor. |
The Neuroscience Institute will contain dedicated, comprehensive diagnostic and treatment facilities in the areas of physical, occupational and respiratory therapy as well as speech pathology, nutrition and social work services. The subspecialty programs will help patients with stroke, neuromuscular disease, ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, Alzheimer’s Disease and neurosurgery.
The new partnership with The Hearst Foundations was forged after Hearst senior program officer Teri Yeager visited the Community Regional campus.
“The Hearst Foundations’ support represents a key milestone in Community Regional Medical Center’s plan to be world class, said Rob Saroyan, vice president for Community Medical Foundation. “This announcement is a significant step forward in achieving the goal.”
Dr. Donald Myers, Community Regional’s chief of neurosurgery and medical director of neuroscience, said the hospital’s center of excellence has been developed with the combination of advanced technologies and care teams.
“We have been privileged to establish a new direction in neuroscience in the region,” Dr. Myers said. … “We have developed the multidisciplinary teams to deliver the best possible care. We have achieved a new standard of care within the hospital and are now reaching out to the community and the Valley through our outpatient facilities.”
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenfeld, Community Regional’s chief of neurology, said this multidisciplinary approach is vital in the region.
“The funds provide a wonderful opportunity to enhance our programs with state-of-the-art equipment and supplies needed to aggressively treat a wide spectrum of neurological disease,” Dr. Rosenfeld said. “Opportunities provided with the use of this equipment enable us to offer hopeful alternatives to patients at all stages of disease progression.”
Community Regional currently houses a 52-bed neuroscience inpatient and intensive care unit for spine and head surgery patients, as well as those with stroke, epilepsy and other neurological conditions. The outpatient facility, which will be located on the third floor of the East Plaza Medical Office Building is planned to open this fall.
The Hearst Foundations gives to leading regional hospitals, those with ethnic diversity, those in a large demographic area and those providing advanced professional education. The goal of the Hearst gifts is to ensure people of all backgrounds have the opportunity to build healthy, productive and inspiring lives.
Dr. Rosenfeld said, “This support represents, for me, the confidence and support of the Hearst Foundations toward a vision that will truly change health care options available in the region.”
This story was reported by Bonni Montevecchi. She can be reached at MedWatchToday@communitymedical.org.