Becker’s recognizes UVA Health for neuroscience, spine care programs

UVA Health has been honored on Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2024 list of 100 health systems with great neuroscience and spine programs.

“These programs are celebrated for their exceptional patient outcomes, advanced surgical techniques and groundbreaking research,” editors at the national healthcare publication wrote in introducing the list. “They boast visionary leaders, top-tier specialists, robust research initiatives and pioneering clinical trials.”

The award highlights UVA Health’s efforts to expand access to specialized, high-quality care, Dr. K. Craig Kent, chief executive officer of UVA Health and executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Virginia, said.

“At UVA Health, our goal is to be the care provider of choice for patients across Virginia and beyond, especially for patients with serious and complex conditions. Our neuroscience and spine teams have pioneered treatments that have improved the lives of countless patients, and this honor from Becker’s is well deserved,” Kent said.

Becker’s highlighted UVA Health’s Department of Neurosurgery for its “innovative treatments and leading research,” including its pediatric neurosurgery program and a Gamma Knife Center that has treated more than 10,000 patients since 1989. The publication also cited the groundbreaking work of UVA’s Health’s Focused Ultrasound Center, a high-tech treatment approach that replaces scalpels with focused sound waves.

Research from a team headed by UVA Health’s Dr. Jeff Elias led to federal Food and Drug Administration approval of focused ultrasound to treat essential tremor, a common movement disorder, and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. UVA researchers are examining many additional potential uses, including cancer immunotherapy at the world’s first focused ultrasound cancer immunotherapy center.

“I am honored to be part of a team that provides excellent care for patients from around the world, and I am happy to see our team’s work recognized by Becker’s,” Elias, interim chair of UVA’s Department of Neurosurgery, said. “Our team will continue to seek new and better ways to care for our patients.”

Becker’s also highlighted the epilepsy care available at UVA Health, which is designated a level 4 epilepsy center – the highest possible designation – by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. Founded in 1977, the F.E. Dreifuss Comprehensive Epilepsy Program provides comprehensive care that ranges from inpatient monitoring and surgical evaluation to medication management and nutritional counseling.

“The care provided by our epilepsy specialists is just one example of the highly specialized, high-quality care provided by our neurologists at UVA Health,” Dr. Xuemei Huang, chair of UVA’s Department of Neurology, said. “I am proud to see our dedicated team honored by Becker’s Hospital Review.”

The UVA Health Spine Center, a partnership between UVA Health neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons, is “at the forefront of minimally invasive and robotic-guided surgeries, with spine specialists participating in major national clinical trials,” according to Becker’s. UVA Health’s spine team performs more than 1,500 procedures annually.

“Our team is on the cutting edge of spine care, providing comprehensive options for patients while seeking the next wave of breakthrough treatments. I am proud of our team for this well-earned recognition,” Dr. Francis Shen, division director for spine surgery in UVA’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, said.