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.
After approval July 18 by the Board of Regents, 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.
Neurosurgeons and neurologists will work full-time in mid-Michigan, with services provided at U-M Health-Sparrow in Lansing and MSU Health Care in East Lansing. The agreement also will allow greater access to specialty services, such as spine care and 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.”
Margaret Dimond, president of the U-M Health Regional Network, which includes U-M Health-Sparrow and U-M Health-West, said the agreement will formalize and advance U-M Health and MSU neurological specialty providers’ work on 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,” Dimond said. “It’s a unique and progressive partnership that will set an example for multi-university collaboration on key diagnostic and treatment breakthroughs.”
U-M Health-Sparrow and MSU Health Care Neurology have a long history of partnering in mid-Michigan. For 40 years, MSU Health Care has delivered essential neurological services at the MSU Clinical Center and U-M 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 U-M Health neurosurgeons will work at U-M Health-Sparrow full-time.
“MSU Health Care and U-M 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,” said Aditya S. Pandey, chair of the U-M Health Department of Neurosurgery.
Pandey also is the Julian T. Hoff M.D. Professor of Neurosurgery, professor of neurosurgery, of radiology and of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.
“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, 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 88% 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 mid-Michigan residents have a local home for inpatient and outpatient neurology care.
