Many people are impacted by a disease of the brain or spinal cord, whether through a personal diagnosis or knowing a loved one who has suffered a stroke or has an illness like Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis or epilepsy.

Sutter Health’s integrated network includes 27 acute care campuses and 200 clinics across Northern California, with providers who specialize in stroke, movement disorders, brain illnesses and memory disorders, brain and spinal injuries, and more.

Neurologists in the Sutter Health network provide comprehensive consultation, evaluation and treatment for a variety of neurological disorders.

The high-quality, innovative and compassionate neurologic care offered at Sutter has been publicly recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review, a leading magazine for hospital business news and analysis. Earlier this month Becker’s named the nation’s top 2023 Spine and Neuroscience Programs, including those within Sutter Health.

“Our specialists diagnose and treat even the most complex neurologic cases, leveraging the power of telemedicine, mobile services and emerging technologies as well as research and clinical trials,” says Dr. Conrad Vial, Sutter Health Network president. “We’re proud to offer lifesaving neurologic care at Sutter that’s now easier and faster for more patients to access.”

Innovation: Becker’s list includes health systems and hospitals with premier spine and neuroscience programs. In addition to providing treatment, these centers offer clinical trials to improve access to new breakthroughs and increase the odds of survival for patients today and for generations to come.

Quality: Sutter’s neuroscience programs have exceeded national benchmarks for safety and quality, in part because the health system continually monitors its outcomes. The other part of Sutter’s uniqueness lies in how knowledge is organized and shared across the network. Through review boards and teams of multidisciplinary specialists, care providers are convened to identify best practices and continually drive improvement.

Additionally, by offering residents and fellows nationally renowned graduate medical education, or GME, programs that deliver cutting-edge expertise, Sutter’s helping these young physicians to stay abreast of emerging best practices for unparalleled neurologic care. The organization’s training programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Breadth: As an integrated network comprised of community hospitals and outpatient care centers, Sutter Health has the breadth to care for patients throughout their journey with a brain or spinal cord illness or injury, close to home. In the years ahead, the health system plans to expand its neurologic services across its Northern California footprint.

Dr. Vials cites examples of how neurologic care at Sutter is helping people who have common or rare illnesses or medical emergencies like stroke. These include:

• Access to novel treatments like tenecteplase, known as TNK, for acute ischemic stroke and lecanemab for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
• Streamlined referrals to specialized care for patients with complex or rare types of brain and spinal cord illnesses or injuries.
• Stroke care recognized for excellence, with one Comprehensive Stroke Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento and two Thrombectomy Stroke Centers certified by The Joint Commission at Sutter Roseville Medical Center and Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. Sutter also provides our patients rapid stroke care at its many Primary Stroke Centers—three of which are also certified to perform thrombectomies- in locations across Northern California, serving urban, suburban and rural communities.
  

  Nationally recognized neurosurgeons in the Sutter Health network offer the latest in advanced surgical techniques.

• Lifesaving stroke care is now accessible to more patients with the launch of Sutter’s systemwide telestroke program. This in-house virtual stroke program provides Sutter “spoke” hospitals stroke coverage with rapid patient evaluation, treatment and transfer recommendations. A teleneurologist reviews the patient’s case and diagnostic images and performs a video consultation with the care team onsite. The telestroke physician can also connect with a Sutter interventional neuroradiologist or neurosurgeon to develop a coordinated treatment plan best suited to the individual’s care needs.
• Use of innovative technologies leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for epileptic seizure detection and point-of-care neurodiagnostic testing.
• Leading-edge neuroscience research, with more than 30 Phase 1-4 clinical trials testing new approaches to treat stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders.

Do you or a loved one have a brain or spinal cord illness or injury? Find neuroscience services offered at Sutter Health.