Kaiser Permanente establishes Neurosurgical center of expertise in Vacaville

Staff, equipment added to enhance care in Solano County

Kaiser Permanente is pleased to announce it has established a Neurosurgical center of expertise at its Vacaville Medical Center. The Center is part of Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to bring neurosurgical services to Solano County – the only program of its kind in the county.

“Our program has 15 neurosurgeons who specialize in complex surgical treatment of spine and brain injuries,” says Dr. Steven Stricker, physician-in-chief for Kaiser Permanente in Napa and Solano counties. “This is a crucial component of trauma care – we are currently a Level III center and neurosurgery gives us the ability to become a Level II center and provide a more advanced level of care to critically injured patients.”

Kaiser Permanente’s Neurosurgery Program is supported by the latest technologies, allowing us to provide highly specialized care using the least invasive techniques, helping our patients be more comfortable and recover more quickly. This includes a more than $4 million investment in the O-ARM Imaging System and StealthStation surgical navigation system, which brings imaging technology in to the operating suite, eliminating the need for a patient to stop in radiology before surgery. Kaiser Permanente is the only hospital in Solano County with this technology.

“This is amazing technology that gives the surgeon real-time information as they prepare to operate,” Dr. Stricker says. “It allows us to operate in a less invasive way, which benefits the patient with better outcomes and reduced recovery time.”

Kaiser Permanente’s neurosurgery program is expected to treat approximately 500 patients per year, with about 50 of those being related to trauma care. “Kaiser Permanente’s unique, integrated system allows us to implement high-tech, highly complicated specialized programs like this one,” says Max Villalobos, hospital administrator. “We’re also fortunate to have a large pool of top-notch physician specialists and supportive staff who continue to advance the level of care we are able to offer the people of Solano County.”