William C. Welch, MD, an ICS Fellow for almost 20 years, is the medical director of the new Penn Spine Center at Pennsylvania Hospital and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
As one of the most common disease conditions in the United Sates, spine and back issues can interfere in many people’s lives. Research has shown that back pain can affect eight in 10 people at some time in their lives. The new Spine Center was opened to meet the needs of these patients and to provide more options for innovative as well as integrated care — providing patient visits, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, pain management and imaging under one roof.
Penn Medicine’s spine program treats patients at a variety of locations throughout the region, from Central Pennsylvania to New Jersey. Now, with the Penn Spine Center at Pennsylvania Hospital (the nation’s first hospital), patients can receive their care right in the heart of Center City. The center, a $10 million facility, combines access to both outpatient and inpatient spine care, bringing a higher level of continuity of services for patients. With evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment in one location, patients can receive their care more efficiently and more conveniently.
Said Dr. Welch in a recent interview, “Our physicians, nurse practitioners, and staff collaborate with a team based approach when caring for spine patients, working together to deliver the best treatment options possible for each of our patients.” He added, “Increasing the efficiency of treatment will help get patients back on their feet as quickly as possible—while also reducing some of the financial burden that spine disorders can place on patients and their families.”