Dr. Hammad Khan, right, medical director of interventional psychiatry, uses the new SAINT accelerated TMMS system at Sutter Center for Psychiatry in Sacramento.
NORTHERN CALIF. — Sutter Health this week announced the launch of the SAINT® neuromodulation system at Sutter Center for Psychiatry, making Sutter the first in the greater Sacramento region to offer this advanced, FDA-cleared therapy for adults with major depressive disorder who have not responded to standard treatments.
Developed by Magnus Medical, SAINT — Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy — is the first and only FDA-cleared, noninvasive brain stimulation treatment shown to achieve a 79% remission rate in case studies, often in just five days. SAINT therapy is currently available for patients covered by Medicare and some private insurance carriers, with additional access expanding rapidly.
“This is a milestone for our patients and for mental health care in Northern California,” said Dan Peterson, CEO of Sutter Center for Psychiatry and Sutter Health’s Behavioral Health Service Line. “Being the first non-academic health system on the West Coast to offer SAINT means we can deliver breakthrough, life-changing care to people who have exhausted other options. It reflects our commitment to bringing leading-edge therapies to the communities we serve.”
A breakthrough for patients who need new options
SAINT is FDA-cleared for adults with major depressive disorder who have not achieved satisfactory improvement from prior antidepressant medications in their current episode. Unlike traditional transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which typically requires daily sessions over four to six weeks, SAINT uses MRI-guided imaging and proprietary algorithms to deliver a highly individualized, accelerated protocol of 10 short sessions per day over five days.
This approach allows patients to experience faster and more durable improvement, helping them return to daily life more quickly.
Sutter clinicians recently co-authored a case study showing that accelerated TMS protocols delivered over five days can significantly reduce depression and anxiety symptoms. The findings strengthen the evidence behind innovative approaches like SAINT.
Strengthening Sutter’s behavioral health strategy
The launch of SAINT aligns with Sutter Health’s systemwide strategy to expand access to mental health care and strengthen integrated behavioral health across care settings.
“This technology allows us to offer a potentially transformational option for patients who have not responded to medication or traditional TMS protocols,” said Dr. Matt White, chair of Sutter’s Behavioral Health Service Line. “The ability to achieve rapid symptom reduction is particularly meaningful in cases of severe depression, where timely intervention can change trajectories. SAINT enhances our overall behavioral health strategy by giving clinicians an advanced tool grounded in strong clinical evidence and designed to improve outcomes across our patient population.”
Those struggling with depression despite being on antidepressants can call the Sutter Center for Psychiatry TMS line at (916) 386-3684 or visit the website at www.sutterhealth.org.
Magnus Medical is pleased to be partnering with Sutter Health to bring this advanced treatment option to more patients throughout the greater region and beyond.
“We developed SAINT to offer people living with major depression a new path forward,” said Dr. Brandon Bentzley, co-founder and chief science officer of Magnus Medical. “Our partnership reflects a shared vision with Sutter Health, a system committed to leading the way in driving brain health treatments forward, as we expand access to scientifically rigorous, personalized care. Bringing SAINT therapy to the Sacramento region helps to ensure that more people in Northern California can receive rapid-acting, evidence-based treatment that supports life-changing improvement.”
Foundational gift paramount in bringing new technology to Sacramento
Sutter Center for Psychiatry’s interventional psychiatry program, which includes SAINT and TMS, benefited from a generous $2 million gift from the Thomas P. Raley Foundation, which also supported the Joyce Raley Teel Outpatient Center.
“Hope carries a different weight when it arrives swiftly,” said Dr. Ozra Nobari, chief medical executive of Sutter Center for Psychiatry. “With the Magnus TMS chair, we can deliver accelerated, individualized care that helps patients reclaim their lives sooner. This milestone rests on the generosity of the Raley Teel Foundation and the dedication of our Sutter Health Philanthropy team. My deepest thanks to our physicians, nurses, technicians, schedulers and the entire SCP staff. Your skill and compassion turn innovation into access and healing.”
About Sutter Center for Psychiatry
Sutter Center for Psychiatry, located at 7700 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, provides inpatient and outpatient mental health services for children, adolescents and adults. As the only not-for-profit psychiatric hospital in the Greater Sacramento region, Sutter Center for Psychiatry offers inpatient stabilization, psychiatric evaluation, psychotherapy, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs.
Sutter Center for Psychiatry also operates one of the region’s most comprehensive interventional psychiatry programs, offering advanced treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy, ketamine infusion therapy and traditional TMS. The addition of SAINT expands this portfolio of specialized services and supports Sutter Center for Psychiatry’s mission to provide innovative, compassionate care for individuals with complex or treatment-resistant conditions.
The introduction of SAINT builds on recent investments, including California’s Proposition 1 Bond Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program Round 1: awarded to Sutter Center for Psychiatry to build 13 new inpatient behavioral health beds. This expansion will increase access to high-acuity care in the greater Sacramento region.
