Patients can get same-day evaluation thanks to the newly opened Neuro-Ortho Walk-in( NOW) care, an urgent care of sorts for musculoskeletal injuries— anything from a high school student who may have sustained a concussion during a game, to an on-the-job injury in need of immediate evaluation. Orthopedic expertise is provided on-site through the Center for Joint Surgery & Sports Medicine, which has its offices in the professional center.“ And we have one of five— only five!— upright MRIs in the region,” thanks to Parkway Radiology, Kara says.“ So now our patients from Frostburg and Western Maryland that need to have upright services who otherwise can’ t lay flat in a standard MRI bed can come here for those services instead of traveling down to D. C., Virginia or Baltimore. So that was wonderful for us.” And, the addition of an education center, which seats up to 85 and includes a state-of-the-art audio / visual system and a catering kitchen, allows PNSI to host in-service healthcare education, community health seminars and more.
Ultimately, the expanded facility further reinforces PNSI’ s collaborative approach to patient care.“ Because we’ re all in the same building, and we’ re all actually in the same room a lot of the times when we see a patient, we can go over if we have a specific question [ for a specialist ],” Dr. Larkin says.“ That’ s the beauty of this. Here, in this environment, it allows for easy collaboration and moving things along, as far as the care of the patient.” Access to a broad range of specialists, testing facilities, rehabilitation and pain management services and an outpatient surgery center means patients don’ t have to shuttle between multiple practices and appointments— getting the care they need faster.“ We’ re very interested in noninterventional medicine, which is so ironic because [ we started ] out in neurosurgery,” Kara says.“ Now, if you come for surgical services, we are going to pair you with the best noninterventional treatment plan for the best outcome for you.” Dr. Larkin echoes the point:“ I would say the majority of people that come through here don’ t get surgery. Most of them are managed nonsurgically, either through physical therapy and rehabilitation or through the pain management and physiatry sections.” Whether surgical or nonsurgical treatments are indicated, the doctors and staff at PNSI are prepared to help heal patients quickly. The practice’ s expanded facility allows them to do just that, in addition to being another feather in the Hub City’ s healthcare cap.“ Washington County has five neurosurgeons, which is unheard of. It’ s amazing,” Kara enthuses,“ and I just can’ t get over that.” §
Parkway Neuroscience & Spine Institute
17 Western Maryland Parkway, Suite 100, Hagerstown 301-797-9240 • www. pnsi. org
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