Published: July 18, 2024
EAST LANSING, Mich. – University of Michigan Health and MSU Health Care are entering into a joint operating agreement to provide neurosurgery and neurology care to the people of mid-Michigan, marking an unprecedented collaboration between the state’s two leading academic institutions.
The two organizations announced the creation of the Neuro Care Network, a joint operating agreement that will include practitioners from both institutions to care for patients with neurological conditions. The agreement will enhance neurosurgery and neurology treatment for patients in mid-Michigan and provide a new level of care, convenience and innovation while keeping service close to home.
A dedicated team of neurosurgeons and neurologists will work full-time in mid-Michigan, with services provided at UM Health-Sparrow in Lansing and MSU Health Care in East Lansing. The agreement will also allow greater access to specialty services, such as spine care and endovascular (or stroke) services.
“MSU Health Care provides neurology services to thousands of local patients each year and we expect that number to continue to grow,” said Seth Ciabotti, chief executive officer of MSU Health Care, the academic health system of Michigan State University. “The Neuro Care Network enables patients to receive this high level of care as well as additional services. As MSU Health Care continues to build a health system of the future, partnerships like this will help us design experiences that revolve around the needs of patients.”
Said Margaret Dimond, President, U-M Health Regional Network, which includes UM Health-Sparrow and UM Health-West: “The agreement will formalize and advance having University of Michigan Health and Michigan State University neurological specialty providers work collaboratively on a variety of clinical advancements and research potential.
“This collaboration will provide access to a more comprehensive and coordinated experience for patients in Michigan who require specialized care for any neurologic condition. It’s a unique and progressive partnership that will set an example for multi-university collaboration on key diagnostic and treatment breakthroughs."
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow and MSU Health Care Neurology have a long history of partnership in serving mid-Michigan. For 40 years, MSU Health Care has delivered essential neurological services at MSU Clinical Center and University of Michigan Health-Sparrow, contributing to the latter’s designation as a comprehensive stroke center.
As part of the new Neuro Care Network, beginning this summer, three University of Michigan Health neurosurgeons will be working at UM Health-Sparrow full-time.
According to Aditya S. Pandey, MD, chair of the U-M Health Department of Neurosurgery: “MSU Health Care and UM Health-Sparrow will be partnering to provide outstanding new services, thus expanding access for our Mid-Michigan patients to advanced specialty care without needing to leave the region.”
“As our population ages and the rates of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, stroke and dementia increase, the demand for neurology specialists will continue to outpace the supply,” said John Goudreau, DO, neurologist and interim chair of the MSU Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology. “Working collaboratively strengthens our position to recruit top neurological talent and care for our patients.”
According to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Michigan’s supply of neurology specialists will fulfill only 88 percent of demand by 2031, below national projections for the same period. U-M Health and MSU Health Care will collaborate to identify future community needs for neurology services and recruit specialists so that mid-Michigan residents have a local home for inpatient and outpatient neurology care.
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About MSU Health Care:
MSU Health Care is the fully integrated academic health center of Michigan State University, representing more than 600 faculty
and affiliate providers. Our commitment to safe, high-quality patient care is realized through our comprehensive services for
people of any age, education of the next generation of health care providers and medical research. Our providers treat ongoing
primary care as well as some of the rarest forms of cancer and neurological conditions along with advanced surgical,
pharmaceutical, rehabilitation, therapy and imaging services. With more than 100 affiliates located next door and as far as
Ludington, Saginaw, Detroit, and Marquette, MSU Health Care is building hope and healing for Michigan. Our clinical efforts
support future advancements through academic and research initiatives at Michigan State University. Healthcare.msu.edu/
About UM Health-Sparrow:
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier health care organization and includes hospitals in Lansing,
Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia and St. Johns, as well as UM Health-Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Care Network, the Michigan
Athletic Club, and AL!VE. UM Health-Sparrow is part of University of Michigan Health. Through the dedication of our 10,000
team members, UM Health-Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience.
For more information, visit UofMHealthSparrow.org.
About Michigan Medicine and U-M Health:
At Michigan Medicine, we advance health to serve Michigan and the world. We pursue excellence every day in our
11 hospitals and hundreds of clinics statewide, as well as educate the next generation of physicians, health
professionals and scientists in our U-M Medical School.
Michigan Medicine includes U-M Medical School and University of Michigan Health, which includes the C.S. Mott
Children’s Hospital, Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, University Hospital, the Frankel Cardiovascular Center,
Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan Health-West, University of Michigan Health-Sparrow and the Rogel
Cancer Center. The U-M Medical School is one of the nation's biomedical research powerhouses, with total
research awards of more than $777 million. More information is available at michiganmedicine.org