July 5, 2016 -- FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center (OCMMC) has announced the opening of its Center for Spine Health in order to improve access to comprehensive medical care for people suffering from spine-related disorders of the neck and back.

“We are extremely proud to officially open the Center for Spine Health,” says Marcia Manker, CEO of OCMMC. “Our Center is staffed by a highly experienced team of spine health experts who are dedicated to providing personalized, comprehensive and advanced treatment options to Orange County community members.”

Spearheaded by Medhat Mikhael, M.D., a board certified pain management specialist and medical director of the non-operative program, and Barry Ceverha, M.D., a board certified neurosurgeon and medical director of the operative program, the Center for Spine Health offers a multidisciplinary team which works together to provide non-operative, minimally invasive and surgical treatment options for patients. The Center’s team includes program and nursing management, clinical nurse educators, a patient navigator, physical therapists, imaging and perioperative services staff, and an array of physician specialists including physiatrists, pain management physicians, neurosurgeons, and orthopedic surgeons.

“Our team will utilize a comprehensive treatment approach that includes physical therapy, biologic and motion preservation techniques which are designed to specifically target and treat the source of a patient’s pain. By limiting the use of powerful pain medication and avoiding invasive surgery, our patients can return to the pain-free, active lifestyle they enjoyed prior to their injury or condition,” explains Dr. Mikhael.

The program will provide every patient a thorough evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for their specific malady. Patients referred to the program will benefit from a comprehensive intake process which includes obtaining the patient’s detailed medical history, diagnostic images, test results and a referral to the physician triage provider. The triage physician will assess the patient and determine the best course of treatment, based on the individual’s needs. Treatment options may include medication, physical therapy, injection therapy, surgery, or a combination of these treatments.

Along with skilled diagnosis and treatment planning, the Center for Spine Health’s patient navigator works with patients to guide them through the treatment process, continually providing education and support along the way. Each patient is encouraged to bring a coach (family member or friend) to attend educational sessions and assist in care and support pre- and postoperatively.

“We believe we have developed a center of excellence for the education, diagnosis, and treatment of neck and spine-related disorders and it is our goal to establish the gold standard for spine care that the community can be proud of for years to come,” adds Dr. Ceverha.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the Center for Spine Health at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center at (714) 861-4830, or log on to www.memorialcare.org/ocspinehealth.


About Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center
At Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center, patients can expect high quality, patient-focused care. Orange Coast Memorial is one of a select group of healthcare organizations nationwide to achieve Magnet®; a designation achieved for superiority in patient care and nursing professionalism. As a nonprofit hospital serving the community, Orange Coast Memorial offers care in nearly every medical specialty. Along with an award-winning Emergency Department, Orange Coast Memorial implements best practices in medicine through its Centers of Excellence. These include the MemorialCare Cancer Institute, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute and MemorialCare Breast Center. Orange Coast Memorial has repeatedly been voted one of the Best in Orange County, by readers of the Orange County Register. The hospital’s investment in the health of the community includes annual free screenings for skin cancer, breast cancer and hepatitis, among others. For more information, please log on to http://www.memorialcare.org/orange-coast-memorial.