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May 15, 2008 5:50 pm US/Central
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Mayo Clinic's New Center To Treat Muscle Aches
ROCHESTER, Minn. (WCCO) ―
The Mayo Clinic has unveiled a new center at its Rochester facility aimed at treating musculoskeletal problems, basically all those back and joint aches that get worse as we age.
At the new W. Hall Wendel, Jr. Musculoskeletal Center a giant video screens welcomes patient to the new center that will be treating the backs hips, knees and other joints of aging baby boomers.
"The increased life expectancy, the demographic changes is having a tremendous impact specifically on our specialty because the musculoskeletal system is one of the systems that does wear out," said Dr. Bernard Morrey of Mayo Clinic.
One of the beliefs of the Mayo brothers, who founded the clinic 110 years ago, is that the better a patient understands what's wrong the better they will be able to handle their treatment.
That is why the information area in the new center is filled with touch screens with information on a variety of ailments, telling patients what's going wrong, and why. For patients, the new facility eases stress.
"I just think that the computer set up, able to go in and find whatever you want on that is very helpful," said patient Sharon Gordon.
The center will also focus on research and inventions like a set of braces that is helping patients whose legs are too weak to walk.
"I got to the point where with the old braces I kept falling down," said Vietnam Veteran Walt Myers, who is now able to walk again.
The goal of the center is to streamline orthopedic patients' care, which could lead to savings in time and cost for both the clinic and patient.
"I think any time that you can make a process more efficient it should help with costs and that's the hope that it will eventually help with costs," said Dr. Daniel Berry Chair of Orthopedic Surgery.
The new clinic was funded by a $27 million gift from W. Hall Wendel, Jr. the former Chairman of Polaris Industries.
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