Santa Monica Women's Imaging Center to Open

The new Santa Monica-UCLA Women's Imaging Center, opening this month at 1260 15th Street in Santa Monica, caters to the unique imaging needs of women in a spa-like setting, using the most advanced diagnostic tools available, including the 3.0 Tesla MRI. The new facility is the first on the West Coast to feature this state-of-the-art technology.

Sharon Siebuhr, principal lead technologist at the center, notes, "Going in for any type of body screening — especially a mammogram — can make women anxious. Our goal was to create a comfortable, relaxed environment that helps soothe women emotionally and physically during their procedures."

In addition to the elegantly appointed decor, a private women-only waiting room is tucked away from the reception area.There is a separate entrance for male patients who may require mammography for tumor diagnosis and follow-up.

A team of subspecialty radiologists, clinical and basic scientists and specialized staff use these newest tools to perform ultrasound studies, digital mammography and image-guided biopsies. One 3.0 Tesla MRI is dedicated to women's breast imaging, biopsies, cardiac imaging and other MRI studies.

The new facility joins the other UCLA Health System location specifically designed for women's imaging: the Iris Cantor Center for Breast Imaging at UCLA, located in 200 UCLA Medical Plaza.

The team at the Santa Monica-UCLA Women's Imaging Center includes mammography technologists Catherine Reed, Mona Chamas and Sharon Siebuhr (back row) and radiologists Dr. Cheryce Poon and Dr. Nanette DeBruhl (front row).

Staff members LaRona Taylor, PT Assistant, (left) and Mary Gay Dreu, RN, assist a patient to regain mobility in the NRRU gym.

Neurological Rehabilitation and Research Unit Focuses on Goals

An integral part of patient care at the new Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (RRUCLA), the Neurological Rehabilitation and Research Unit (NRRU) is located directly across the street on the first floor of the Semel Institute (1West) in the space it has occupied since 1994. Though separated physically, its 11 inpatient beds are licensed as part of RRUCLA.

The staff has worked hard to coordinate the services at RRUCLA with the NRRU, including delivery of meals, pharmacy, security and other day-to-day logistics. "A very coordinated and cooperative effort needed to be worked out," says Ellen Wilson, director of Therapy Services, "and we've worked through it in record time."

The NRRU provides an intensive, interdisciplinary and coordinated team approach to rehabilitation, focusing on neurological conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury and disabling neurological conditions. Patients participate in an intensive rehab program that includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, rehab nursing, social work, recreational therapy and nutritional therapy. Patients in the unit must have the potential to improve and must be strong candidates for an independent or partially assisted living environment upon discharge. Having strong social support is also an important criteria for admission.

"Our approach is an integrated team effort. Every staff member is specialized in a particular area yet each works together with other specialists to achieve the patient's goals," says UCLA neurologist Dr. David Alexander, medical director of the unit.

All attending physicians in the NRRU are neurologists with intensive training in rehabilitation. "That means an expert in neurology sees each patient every day," says Carla Sanchez, a nurse practitioner who has worked in the department for nine years and who assists in evaluating and admitting patients. "We always score highly on patient satisfaction surveys."

"The staff get attached to the patients because they see them and their families every day," says Ellen. "It's often hard to say goodbye, but the improvement we see is so uplifting that it makes what we do very rewarding. It's probably why so many of our staff have been here since the very inception of the department."