Treatment at Chelsea Community Hospital

Most patients treated at the Michigan Headache & Neurological Institute achieve significant progress and obtain successful management on an outpatient basis. However, individuals with particularly complex or intense symptoms or persistent pain patterns may be admitted to the Headache Treatment Unit (HTU) at Chelsea Community Hospital (CCH). CCH is a general acute care hospital located 15 miles west of Ann Arbor on 119 wooded acres in the village of Chelsea.

This hospital program, which was developed by Dr. Saper and CCH in 1978, is the first hospital specialty program for headache patients in the world. The HTU became the pioneering model for specialized treatment of severe and advanced head, neck and/or other pain illnesses that have not responded to outpatient treatment.

Admission to the hospital unit is usually reserved for those patients whose condition has been unresponsive to an extensive course of outpatient care and/or require a greater intensity of treatment and services than can be offered outside of a hospital setting. Approximately 30% of MHNI patients require hospital services.

Hospital Program Staff

Working with Dr. Saper and his colleagues is a team of highly experienced professionals specially trained to treat pain. This internationally recognized program and multidisciplinary staff includes physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, physical therapists, recreational therapists, and nutritionists, all working together to implement the most effective treatment for each participating individual.