Press Date: 09/18/2009
Board-certified and fellowship-trained rheumatologists Seth Kantor, MD, and Heather Lake, DO, joined Grant Medical Center and the OhioHealth Medical Specialty Foundation this month to open a practice dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and medical management of arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles and bones.
The Grant Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center, which opened August 10, offers state-of-the-art care to patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal pain and connective tissue disorders. There are more than 100 types of these conditions, including lupus, gout, back pain and tendonitis.
"Our goal is to help patients maintain and improve function so their quality of life is the best it can be," Dr. Kantor said.
With more than 20 years of clinical experience in central Ohio, Dr. Kantor is professor emeritus at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and a nationally- and internationally-known speaker and researcher about therapeutics in rheumatic diseases.
Dr. Lake is the only osteopathic rheumatologist in central Ohio. She completed her rheumatology fellowship in June of 2009 at The Ohio State University Hospitals, where she trained under Dr. Kantor in patient care and clinical research.
"We welcome the opportunity to joint Grant's nationally recognized orthopedic program to create an entire musculoskeletal center that provides comprehensive and continuous care to patients with arthritis and a variety of other conditions," Dr. Lake said.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common type of arthritis triggered by the immune system. It affects 1.3 million Americans, according to the American College of Rheumatology.
Inflammatory arthritis and other autoimmune diseases often play a role in the development of osteoporosis, a disease in which the bones become fragile and more likely to break. Ten million Americans, including eight million women, have osteoporosis and another 34 million are at risk, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Drs. Kantor and Lake bring the expertise to correctly diagnose these conditions and provide the most advanced treatments.
The Grant Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center offers in-office infusion therapy to intravenously administer a new generation of drugs, called biologic agents, which target specific parts of the immune system to reduce inflammation, joint and tissue damage from rheumatoid arthritis while mitigating their effect on healthy organs.
"Compared to previous medications, these agents are miracle drugs," said Dr. Kantor, a nationally known expert on their development and use. "They are the future of therapies for many diseases and new indications and drugs are being developed each year."
Dr. Lake, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis 12 years ago, has experienced first-hand, the benefits of these new medications. "They really have changed the face of arthritis treatment," she said. "We can get patients on them right away to prevent deformities."
The center, which also offers bone mineral density scans, is eagerly anticipating the introduction in January of a new bone-forming biologic agent, cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, for the treatment of osteoporosis.
With the research backgrounds of Drs. Kantor and Lake, the center will enroll patients in clinical trials for leading-edge treatments and symptom management for rheumatic disorders, and work with Grant's trauma surgeons to develop new programs for the prevention and treatment of hip fractures.
The center gives Drs. Kantor and Lake the ability to coordinate care with orthopedics, sports medicine, trauma, podiatry, physical therapy and other existing Grant services. "We can follow patients through all different areas of their treatment and rehabilitation," Dr. Lake said.
The practice is located on the Grant campus at 285 E. State Street, Suite 620, with a satellite office scheduled to open later this year at the OhioHealth Westerville Medical Campus.
Medical Specialty Foundation
The OhioHealth Medical Specialty Foundation employs more than 200 physicians in primary care and a wide range of specialties, giving patients access to one of the leading health systems in the nation. Members of the OhioHealth Medical Specialty Foundation serve on the medical staffs of OhioHealth's hospitals. Physicians in the Foundation collaborate closely with each other and their colleagues at OhioHealth's inpatient and outpatient care sites to develop the strategies and plans that result in patients receiving a comprehensive range of accessible, expert care.
Grant Medical Center
Grant Medical Center is a member of OhioHealth, a nationally recognized, not-for-profit healthcare organization named by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is a family of 17 hospitals, 20 health and surgery centers, home-health providers, medical equipment, and health service suppliers throughout a 40-county area. OhioHealth hospitals in central Ohio are Riverside Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center, Doctors Hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital, and Dublin Methodist Hospital. For more information, please visit www.OhioHealth.com.
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