Mission Health opens spine and back pain center

Press release

From Mission Health

Asheville, N.C. (May 14, 2013) – Mission Health is pleased to announce the opening of Mission Spine & Back Pain Center. The Center is located at 7 Vanderbilt Drive in Asheville, and offers the full continuum of spine and back care in one convenient location.

“We are pleased to offer this specialized care to the community of western North Carolina,” said Jonathan Bailey, MHA, Vice President of Operations at Mission Hospital. “Eight out of 10 people experience back or neck pain at some point in their lives, and it can often be debilitating. It is important for our patients to know that they don’t have to live in pain; there are solutions-both surgical and nonsurgical-that can help them live pain free and active lives.”

Physicians at the Center include:
• Physiatrist
Margaret Burke, MD

• Pain Interventionist
Cleveland Thompson IV, MD

• Neurosurgeons
Wesley Fowler III, MD
Eric Rhoton, MD
Ralph Loomis, MD
Richard Lytle, Jr., MD
Jon Silver, MD

• Orthopedic Spine
James Hoski, MD
Mark Moody, MD

• Surgeons
Hubert Gooch, MD

Mission Spine & Back Pain Center offers an innovative approach to patients suffering from back and neck pain. Patients are connected to world-class specialists through a patient coordinator at their first visit and from there are guided through a comprehensive treatment plan. Treatments and services at the center include clinical evaluations by a physiatrist, pain injections, physical therapy, MRIs and imaging, and spine surgery evaluations.

“Convenience plays an integral factor when dealing with acute back pain,” said Richard Lytle, Jr., MD, physician at Mission Spine & Back Pain Center. “Often patients see multiple specialists and need ongoing physical therapy. With all of these services offered in one location, our caregivers and physicians work with our patients throughout the process, carefully monitoring their progress to ensure optimal recovery.”

The Center spans two floors and more than 30,000 square feet.

About Mission Health
Mission Health, based in Asheville, N.C., is the state’s sixth-largest health system and the region’s only not-for-profit, independent community hospital system governed and managed exclusively in western North Carolina. Mission Health was recognized as one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems in 2012 and 2013 by Thomson Reuters and Truven Health Analytics, respectively. Mission Health is one of only two medium-sized health systems to receive this recognition in 2012 and 2013, and the only health system in North Carolina to achieve that distinction.

Mission Health, which traces its roots in the region back to 1885, operates five hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center. Its medical staff consists of more than 1,000 physicians and is certified in more than 50 medical specialties and sub- specialties. Mission Health has seven Centers of Excellence: Cancer, Heart, Mission Children’s Hospital, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Trauma and Women’s Health. Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, is the system’s flagship hospital and is licensed for 730 beds. It is the regional referral center for tertiary and quaternary care. It also includes Mission Children’s Hospital – the region’s only children’s hospital. Other Mission Health member hospitals include Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, McDowell Hospital in Marion and Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard. With approximately 8,800 employees and 700 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina. For more information, please visit mission- health.org.