The Albany Medical Center residency training program in Neurology is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education. There are 12 fulltime adult neurologists and 3 fulltime pediatric neurologists at the Medical Center. The daily inpatient census varies from 10-15.
Approximately 1800 inpatient consultations are seen yearly by the fulltime neurology faculty. In addition, the emergency room is very busy and neurology residents are called to assess appropriate cases on a consultation basis. More than 8000 outpatients are seen each year in the General Adult Neurology Clinic and Pediatric Neurology Clinics. Neurology residents attend the Adult Neurology Clinic throughout the three year program and each resident is afforded ample opportunity for long term supervision of his/her individual patient practice. The department maintains a complete electrodiagnostic laboratory where EEG's, including intensive video monitoring and ambulatory 24-hour recording as well as neuromuscular and evoked potential studies, are done. The EEG laboratory at Albany Medical Center is fully accredited by the American EEG Society – one of only 77 accredited labs in the United States and one of only three in New York State. We specialize in neonatal and pediatric EEG. We perform approximately 2300 routine or sleep studies annually in addition to 150 intensive 24 hour ambulatory recordings. Long term video EEG monitoring is available for more complicated diagnoses and treatments. We have an active program for the surgical treatment of patients with intractable epilepsy, as well as intraoperative corticography (brain mapping). Albany Medical Center is the only designated neuromuscular center in the area recognized by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Our subspecialty trained physicians see a wide variety of hereditary adult and pediatric neuromuscular diseases. To aid in the diagnosis of neuromuscular disease we have a comprehensive clinical neurophysiology laboratory. More than 400 visual, auditory or somatosensory evoked potentials are performed annually. The peripheral electrodiagnostic laboratories are also very active with state-of-the-art EMG/nerve conduction velocity equipment. Approximately 1000 of these studies are performed annually at the Medical Center. Two physicians on staff have expertise in the administration of botulinum toxin for patients with dystonia, hemifacial spasm and other focal movement disorders. There is an ongoing program in collaboration with Neurosurgery for deep brain stimulation in various movement disorders.
Our three Pediatric Neurology physicians (the only pediatric neurologists in the 25 county catchment area) and two pediatric neurology nurse practitioners offer a complete array of consultative, diagnostic and treatment services for children. In addition to treating children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, headaches, neuromuscular and other disorders, we see a large number in our Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and Muscular Dystrophy Clinic.
At Albany Medical Center, there is a dedicated Neurosciences Unit. The 24 bed unit includes the 8 bed neuro-observation room for stroke patients. The 6 bed (4 adult, 2 pediatric) inpatient Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU), part of Albany Medical Center's adult Comprehensive Ep
ilepsy Program, has been granted membership into the prestigious National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC), becoming one of just six such programs in the state to be so recognized, and one of only three upstate. The program also received a Level 4 designation by the NAEC, the highest it offers, and shared by the best academic centers in the country. A Level 4 rating from the NAEC indicates a center offers the most advanced medical and surgical diagnostic and treatment options for epilepsy. The EMU as been completely renovated and now offers wireless brainwave monitoring technology that uses advanced computer systems and seizure recording equipment enabling patients to move around the unit more freely.
The Neurosciences Research Center houses a 3T MRI magnet. Research in neurodegenerative disorders is being conducted. Active clinical trials in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease , as well as movement disorders, multiple sclerosis and stroke are ongoing.
STRATTON VA MEDICAL CENTER
The Stratton VA Medical Center, a tertiary care facility and part of the VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York, is located directly across the street from Albany Medical Center. Opened in 1951, the VAMCr serves veterans in 22 counties of upstate New York, western Massachusetts and Vermont. In 1990 this facility was named in honor of Samuel S. Stratton, U.S. Congressman for 30 years of the 23rd District, a staunch supporter of veterans and a frequent visitor to our hospital. Affiliated residency programs are fully integrated with Albany Medical College. Residents and medical students from Albany Medical College and other medical schools rotate through the medical center on a continuous basis. We also provide internships/fellowships for most health care disciplines, including: social work, nursing, public relations, and health care administration. Three fulltime neurologists staff the VA Medical Center. There are 156 authorized beds.
Special Programs
The Stratton VA Medical Center provides specialized medical services such as: cardiac catheterization, cardiac rehabilitation, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, stereotactic radiosurgery, hospice/palliative care, adult day health care, post-traumatic stress disorder, compensated work therapy, memory clinic, geriatric assessment, nursing home and respite care. In addition, we offer a Women Veterans Health Program that addresses a variety of health care needs specific to women veterans. Services include gynecology, bone density screening and on-site mammography. There is also extensive diagnostic laboratory medicine and radiology including computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.
For more information about this facility visit the VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York website.
