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Neurosurgery Telehealth
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 St.
John's neurosurgery patients who live in or near Rolla, Branson or Lebanon can
interact with their physician
without having to make the
trip to Springfield
via videoconference at their local health care facility. For more information
about this option, please speak with your neurosurgeon's office.
Mabel's Story
When 83-year-old brain tumor patient Mabel Sullenger faced round-trip
visits from her home at Forsyth Care Center to Springfield to see
neurosurgeon Alan Scarrow, M.D., he presented a more convenient option to
Sullenger and her daughter, Katy Clarkson.
"Thanks to modern technology, we are able to take Mom to Branson for live
videoconferences with Dr. Scarrow, instead of driving in to Springfield to
see him," Clarkson says. "Branson is only 20 minutes away, whereas
Springfield is an hour drive both ways for us. Mom thinks this is pretty
neat, and unbelievable."
Because of a blood condition, doctors couldn’t operate to remove
Sullenger’s noncancerous tumor, called a meningioma. The tumor caused
excruciating headaches and severely affected Sullenger’s quality of life,
her daughter says.
During her appointment via videoconference,
Dr. Scarrow told Sullenger he thought he could use the noninvasive
CyberKnife at St. John’s Radiosurgery Center in Springfield to shrink the
tumor.
"About 90 percent of neurological diagnoses
come from the patient describing their symptoms and viewing the patient’s
imaging scans, such as MRIs or PET scans," says Dr. Scarrow. "If the
patient’s symptoms and imaging studies (MRI, PET scans, etc.) are
consistent, we can usually make a diagnosis and discuss a treatment plan
with the patient. If surgery is part of the treatment plan, we schedule time
for a physical exam before surgery. This can save the patient one or more
trips to Springfield if they live out of town."
Dr. Scarrow emphasizes that all patients undergoing surgery receive an
exam beforehand.
"It may be done right before surgery, but no patient is going to undergo
those types of treatments without an exam," he says.
Four months after Sullenger’s CyberKnife treatment, an MRI showed the
tumor had shrunk.
"We knew in our hearts that it had to have been shrinking because she is
able to enjoy reading and watching TV again. We are so happy she’s able to
do the things she enjoys and be virtually pain-free," Clarkson says.
St. John’s neurosurgeons have conducted appointments via live
videoconference with patients in Lebanon, Rolla, Branson and Berryville.
"The idea behind telemedicine has always been to make doctors’ visits more
convenient for patients who really don’t require a physical exam because
their diagnosis is apparent from their symptoms and films," Dr. Scarrow
says. "Telemedicine makes for much more efficient health care, while still
allowing the face-to-face dialogue between the doctor and patient. I’ve done
telemedicine appointments with patients of all ages and they’ve all been
pleased that we’ve saved them the time, trouble and expense a trip into
Springfield would cost them."
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