Neurology first to arrive; cranial neurosurgery, comprehensive spine, and imaging to follow in the coming months
UConn Health's Brain and Spine institute fully opens at 5 Munson Road in Farmington spring 2024. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo)
The Brain and Spine Institute at UConn Health, a program that offers coordinated specialties including neurology, cranial neurosurgery, comprehensive spine care, and radiology, is opening in its new building, at 5 Munson Road, this spring.
Neurology arrives first and will start seeing patients in the new location, which is just off the main campus in Farmington, Monday. The other specialties will follow over the next few months.
"This has been a project in the making for almost two years and we are very excited to have all of these specialties ultimately in one location," says Anne Horbatuck, chief operating officer of the UConn Medical Group and vice president for ambulatory operations. "It will provide an integrated experience for our patients and increased collaboration for our faculty and staff in an exceptional facility."
Nearly all outpatient neurology services, including spine, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, epilepsy, headache, and stroke are relocating from the Outpatient Pavilion on UConn Health's lower campus.
"We are thrilled to be moving into a new dedicated space for neurological and spine disorders that we share with our cranial neurosurgery and comprehensive spine surgery colleagues," says Dr. L. John Greenfield, chair of the UConn Health Department of Neurology. "The new building will allow us to work collaboratively in new ways and to offer all of our expertise at a single location."
Candidates for normal pressure hydrocephalus treatment, deep brain stimulation, and epilepsy surgery also will see their providers at The Brain and Spine Institute.
"Providing patients with the highest quality care, especially when it comes to neurologic issues, has become increasingly more complex as we have learned more about the causes of disease and have more options for treatment," says Dr. Isaac Moss, chair of the UConn Health Department of Orthopedic Surgery and co-director of the Comprehensive Spine Center. "Grouping our specialties together in one location will facilitate collaborative interdisciplinary care and ensure our patients receive efficient and cutting-edge treatment."
While the building is new, the concept isn't. UConn Health established The Brain and Spine Institute in 2021, formalizing the multispecialty collaborations that already were taking place, albeit in a less consolidated space.
"The Brain and Spine Institute symbolizes the tremendous growth of UConn Health's care in these arenas," says Dr. Ketan Bulsara, chief of UConn Health's Division of Neurosurgery. "As a leading academic medical institution in the United States, it is the next logical step in continuing to deliver state-of-the-art care as we have been doing and shape the future of care in brain and spine."
Adds Dr. Hilary Onyiuke, the Comprehensive Spine Center's founder and co-director, "The progression from our Comprehensive Spine Center to The Brain And Spine Institute is truly a testament to the world-class pioneering care offered at our institution."
The new building also represents the first location for UConn Health Imaging, a free-standing, nonhospital outpatient imaging facility.
"Imaging is a key step for diagnosing and planning treatment of brain and spine conditions," says Dr. Leo Wolansky, UConn Radiology chair. "Opening UConn Health Imaging under The Brain and Spine Institute roof will significantly increase our capacity to provide MRI, CT, and radiography for our patients."
UConn Health Imaging will both support The Brain and Spine Institute and accept referral orders from UConn Health and community physicians alike for a full range of radiology services.
The new building has its own parking lot, offering free, convenient parking for patients.
Learn more about The Brain and Spine Institute at UConn Health
