About Carle Spine Institute - Center of Excellence in Central Illinois

Carle Spine Institute: At last, a nonsurgical approach to back & neck pain

Four out of five Americans will have an attack of back pain during their lifetime. Many people are doomed to endless visits to the back doctor. That's because once you have your first back pain attack, you are four times more likely to have a recurrence. If you have back or neck pain, we are now in a position to help.

Carle Spine Institute building exterior

Recognizing the national trend that back and neck pain needs a specialized Center of Excellence approach, Carle Foundation Hospital and Carle Clinic Association teamed together in 2004 to create Carle Spine Institute. The new 17,000 sf facility put spine surgeons, physical medicine physicians, a spine specialized therapy gym, spine diagnostics and an injection suite all under one roof. Carle Spine Institute represents the largest spine center in the state of Illinois.

Carle Spine Institute acts as a regional center of excellence for the treatment of back and neck problems. Carle Spine Institute receives the most complex cases of back and neck pain from across Central Illinois.

What makes our spine center unique is its emphasis on a nonsurgical approach to back and neck problems. The spine center is directed by specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation, also called physiatrists. These physicians have advanced training in back and neck pain and are successful in helping people return to activity—without surgery.

However, if a back or neck problem requires surgery, Carle Spine Institute has internal spine surgeons who already treat the area's most complex surgical cases. These cases include herniated discs, spinal fractures, spinal deformity, spinal tumor and scoliosis. These spine surgeons use some of the most advanced instrumentation and spine surgery techniques.

In January 2008, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) named Carle Spine Institute to its list of spine centers across the nation that provide superior care to their patients suffering from low back pain. The Back Pain Recognition Program (BPRP) was designed to improve the quality of care to the 30 million Americans who experience low back pain, and by motivating other physicians to document and improve their delivery of spine care.

To receive recognition from NCQA, which is valid for two years, Carle Spine Institute submitted data demonstrating performance that meets the NCQA’s program key measures. The measures include appropriate imaging for acute back pain and recommendation for exercise and other non-surgical spine care treatment options. Click HERE to learn more.

Carle Spine Institute is able to take care of any type of back or neck problem, from the simple back or neck strain all the way to the most complex spine surgery. Medical care is directed by board-certified specialists in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation who emphasize a nonsurgical approach.

Carle Spine Institute is a multidisciplinary spine center of excellence. It includes physical medicine & rehabilitation physicians dedicated to the nonsurgical management of spine problems, spine surgeons who can handle complex spine problems, spine-specialized physical therapists and diagnostics, all under one roof. Because Carle Spine Institute has X-ray and injection suite capabilities on site, the back or neck pain patient no longer has to drive around town for care. All the necessary diagnostic testing and non-operative treatment under one roof eliminates the need for multiple referrals, delayed care and confusion.

As part of Carle Spine Institute's goal of making spine care convenient to the back pain sufferer, Carle Spine Institute now has a satellite office in Danville, Illinois where patients can see a spine specialist, and have diagnostic procedures and spinal injections.

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Carle Clinic Association and Carle Foundation Hospital are separate business corporations that work together to provide quality care and services to their patients. Carle Clinic Association and Carle Foundation Hospital contract with insurance providers separately and may or may not choose to participate in all of the same insurance plans. Patients are urged to check with their carriers as to whether services are covered for either or both organizations. Copyright © 2004, 2003, 2002 Carle Clinic Association and Carle Foundation Hospital.

Need more information on back and neck pain?
Click here to view resource books on spine problems, what causes back pain, what causes neck pain and when to see the doctor.