Expertise and technology to restore brain and spine health
With award-winning, 24/7 emergency stroke care and expertise in brain and spine surgeries, Adventist Health is your close-to-home center for brain and spine care in Kern County. Our network of hospitals in Bakersfield, Delano and Tehachapi are here to serve you with coordinated care and comprehensive services, including imaging, laboratory, follow-up care and outpatient rehabilitation.
Expert treatment for brain and spine issues
Our team has the training, expertise and experience to diagnose and treat a wide range of brain and spine diseases and conditions, including:
- Brain tumors
- Compression fractures
- Concussion
- Degenerative disc disease
- Epilepsy
- Head, neck and spine injuries/pain
- Herniated disc
- Hydrocephalus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Myelopathy
- Radiculopathy
- Pituitary adenomas
- Sacroiliac pain
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Stroke and TIA (mini-stroke)
- Subdural hematomas
We’re Here Whenever You Need Us
Nationally recognized excellence in 24/7 stroke care
The stroke team at Adventist Health in Kern County is here to help with stroke emergencies whenever they occur. We’ve earned advanced primary stroke certification from The Joint Commission, Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus from the American Heart Association, and 5-Star: The Stroke Care Excellence Award by Healthgrades.
Supporting expertise with technology
Adventist Health in Kern County has advanced medical technology to assist our experts in providing the most accurate and complete diagnosis for their patients, including:
- Tele-stroke services on all three campuses — immediate, 24/7 virtual assessment from a stroke specialist.
- Advanced imaging capabilities including MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT perfusion, CTA (CT angiograms).
- Our newly renovated Cath Lab has the latest biplane technology to further assist our stroke experts.
- BrainScope, which helps to diagnose mild traumatic brain injuries, such as a concussion in our Emergency Room.
- Robotic-assisted spine surgery with our Globus Excelsius robot.
Surgical expertise for brain and spine
Adventist Health in Kern County is a comprehensive center for a wide range of surgeries and procedures for the brain or spine. Our services include neurosurgery, orthopedic spine surgery and neurology, as well as comprehensive diagnostic, post-surgical and follow-up care. We’ve earned a number of awards and certifications including:
- Several commendations from Healthgrades, including top 10% in the nation for cranial neurosurgery, the Neuroscience Excellence Award, 5-Star: The Cranial Neurosurgery Excellence Award, and America’s 250 Best Hospitals 2022 Award.
- Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery from Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- The only hospital in Kern County to receive an A for safety nine times in a row from The Leapfrog Group.
- Certified as a Center of Excellence for Robotic Surgery from Surgical Review Corporation.
One Location for All Your Care Needs
Physician specialists for brain and spine care
Whether you have a stroke emergency or a procedure for a brain or spine issue, you’re in good hands at Adventist Health in Kern County. Our team of physician experts include neurologists, neuro-interventionalists — neurologists with specialized training to remove blood clots in the brain — along with neurosurgeons and spine surgeons with the experience and expertise to help you get your health back on track.
If you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency, call 911 immediately.
Knowing Can Save Your Life
Stroke, brain and spine care for all of Kern County
Adventist Health in Kern County is made up of three hospitals: Adventist Health Bakersfield, Adventist Health Delano and Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley. Our hospitals work in tandem to provide a network of coverage for emergency stroke care, as well as brain and spine surgery.
Our Locations
Adventist Health Brain & Spine Institute
(661) 863-2380
KernCountyBrainAndSpine@ah.org
Kern County, CA
Frequently Asked Questions
What brain and spine procedures are available?
The physician specialists at Adventist Health in Kern County are skilled in a full range of procedures to treat stroke, as well as diseases and conditions of the brain and spine.
Stroke
- Carotid angioplasty and stenting
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Mechanical thrombectomy (clot removal)
- Thrombolytic administration (clot-busting medication)
Brain
- Burr holes
- Cranioplasty
- Craniotomy
- Craniotomy tumor resection
- Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt — including revision and removal
- Ventriculostomy
Seizure
- EEG (electroencephalogram) — including long-term continuous monitoring (24 hours or longer)
Spine (including traditional surgery and robotically assisted surgery with our Globus system)
- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
- Anterior lumbar interbody fusion
- Cervical and lumbar artificial disc replacement
- Intracept procedure (basivertebral nerve ablation)
- Lumbar microdiscectomy
- Minimally invasive lumbar laminectomy and decompression
- Minimally invasive posterior cervical foraminotomy
- Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion
- Spinal fusion
- Spine revision surgery
- Surgical spinal decompression
Why should I choose Adventist Health in Kern County for stroke, brain and spine care?
With many choices for healthcare services locally and in Los Angeles, why pick Adventist Health? Here are a few great reasons:
Hometown convenience
By staying local for your care, you save money on gas, eliminate the hassle and confusion of navigating unfamiliar freeways and streets, and — best of all — receive the highest level of care from physicians, nurses, technicians and others who live right in our community. And parking is always free!
Proven excellence
Adventist Health in Kern County and the Brain and Spine Institute have been recognized for excellence by a number of national accreditation and healthcare ranking organizations. Among these honors are:
- Advanced primary stroke certification from The Joint Commission.
- 2022 Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll from the American Heart Association.
- 5-Star: The Stroke Care Excellence Award by Healthgrades.
- Top 10% in the nation for cranial neurosurgery from Healthgrades.
- The Neuroscience Excellence Award by Healthgrades.
- 5-Star: The Cranial Neurosurgery Excellence Award by Healthgrades.
- Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery from Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- The only hospital in Kern County to receive an A for safety nine times in a row from The Leapfrog Group.
- America’s 250 Best Hospitals 2022 Award by Healthgrades.
- Certified as a Center of Excellence for Robotic Surgery from Surgical Review Corporation.
Innovative care
Our neurologists maintain 24/7 availability to consult via telemedicine within five minutes of receiving a call for stroke care. We staff trained intensivists to oversee your care in our neuro ICU. For some of our spine procedures, we offer the option of robotically assisted surgery with our Globus system.
Adventist Health partnership
All three of our Kern County hospitals — in Bakersfield, Delano and Tehachapi — coordinate care and share resources and staff to ensure that each patient, no matter where they live, has access to our full range of services. In addition, as part of the Adventist Health system, we have access to expertise and resources beyond our local facilities.
What are the signs and symptoms of stroke?
Call 911 right away if you or a loved one have any of the following signs and symptoms of a stroke. Ask the ambulance to take you to Adventist Health. Do NOT drive yourself to the hospital. These signs and symptoms are distinct, happen quickly and typically affect one side of the body.
Remember
To recognize a stroke, you have to B.E. F.A.S.T.
BALANCE
Sudden loss of coordination or balance.
EYES
Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.
FACE
One side of the face droops. Ask the person to smile. Does their face look uneven?
ARMS
Is one arm weaker or not move as well as the other arm? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH
Is the person’s speech slurred? Does the person have trouble speaking or seem confused?
TIME
Time to call 911 NOW!