Ozark Center is the first and only in the region to utilize NeuroStar TMS Therapy®, which is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for individuals 21 years of age or older.
TMS uses a highly targeted, pulsed magnetic field, similar in type and strength to that produced by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. TMS stimulates nerves in the part of the brain thought to control mood.
“Major depression is more than just feeling blue – it can be debilitating,” said Vicky Mieseler, Ozark Center Chief Administrative Officer. “For individuals who have yet to find optimal treatment for their depression, TMS therapy offers new hope, and for some, it could even be lifesaving.”
TMS is delivered through a small, curved device with a magnetic coil that rests on the patient’s head. Patients remain awake and alert during TMS therapy sessions, which take 19-40 minutes to complete. Once the treatment session is complete, the patient can resume normal activities immediately. A full course of treatment generally involves five sessions per week for four to six weeks.
“TMS therapy is a significant breakthrough for these patients,” said Dr. Steven Kory, Ozark Center Psychiatrist. “It provides hope that relief from major depression can be achieved and sustained.”
Approximately 6,000 individuals are served each year through Ozark Center’s adult outpatient mental health services. In addition to NeuroStar TMS Therapy, services include psychological and mental health evaluations, individual and couples counseling, group and family therapy, biofeedback therapy and psychotherapy. Ozark Center is the area’s leading provider of behavioral healthcare and has helped clients for more than 50 years. To schedule an appointment call 417.347.7600.
About Ozark Center
An integral component of Freeman Health System based in Joplin, Mo., Ozark Center provides comprehensive behavioral health services to children, adults and families in an area that includes more than 450,000 residents from Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Ozark Center continually looks for innovative ways to address the mental health needs of the community and promote awareness of mental illness in an effort to eliminate the discrimination associated with it. For more information, visit ozarkcenter.com or call 417.347.7600.
About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2018, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers. The Leapfrog Group awarded Freeman the highest grade possible in the Spring 2018 Hospital Patient Safety Score. With more than 300 physicians on staff representing more than 70 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services and women’s services. Additionally, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.