Henry Community Health is Known For Exceptional Care
Writer / Julie Yates
Photography Provided
Henry Community Health (HCH) is a medical facility and integrated health system known for its exceptional care, cutting-edge technology and experienced staff. The center serves patients from nearby areas such as Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville and Westfield, and has been ranked in the top 5% nationwide for patient satisfaction for seven straight years by Healthgrades. One aspect that draws patients to HCH is its distinction as a Center of Excellence for spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis is a degenerative process during which the spinal canal narrows and pressure is put on the nerves. It often goes unnoticed until the patient experiences numbness and pain. Typical treatments involve pain-reducing drugs, steroid injections and, as a last resort, surgery. HCH has three physicians who are highly trained in treating the condition using the Vertiflex procedure. Doctors Andrew Davisson, Rakesh Patel and Scott Taylor have years of experience in the field of physical medicine, pain management and rehabilitation.
Eighty percent of people get back pain at some time in their life, Dr. Taylor says. Many start to experience it when they are in their 60s – right at the point where they want to enjoy life, such as working in their yard or taking up a hobby. They have to sit down to get pain relief.
Dr. Taylor, a graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine, grew up with a brother who suffered from cerebral palsy. During medical school he discovered physiatry, a branch of medicine that treats and manages pain related to disabilities of the nerves, bones and muscles. He felt that he had found his calling.
One of the team’s goals, Dr. Taylor says, is to treat the condition prior to surgery with the Vertiflex procedure.
This outpatient procedure optimizes function and improves the patients quality of life, plus it is covered by Medicare. It is a process that opens the spinal canal area by inserting a removable device that is less than an inch long. Patients can walk out of the facility on the very same day, since it is a much less invasive method than traditional surgery,” Dr. Taylor says. “A lesser level of anesthesia is required, which lowers the risk for those with underlying conditions. Patient satisfaction is at 89 percent. They report they would do it again, as well as recommend it to a friend.
HCH was the first facility in the state to use the Vertiflex procedure, and continues to treat the largest number of patients in the state who opt for it. Afterwards, patients are advised not to lift objects over 10 to 15 pounds, and to keep twisting and bending to a minimum. After a follow-up X-ray, patients are typically back to their favorite activities within six weeks. The doctors at the facility who perform this method are now trained to instruct other physicians to perform the procedure.
Many people experience back pain right at retirement time, and it makes enjoying the things they like to do impossible, Dr. Taylor says. Typical patients have already tried physical therapy, medication and injections. The Vertiflex procedure is a way to treat pain before resorting to surgery, which is very invasive and involves cutting bones. Its a step between living with pain and having irreversible changes made in surgery, and it can possibly improve the quality of life.
Henry Community Health is located at 1000 North 16th Street in New Castle, IN. For more information, call 765- 521-0890 or visit them online at hchcares.org.
