OKLAHOMA CITY – The pediatric urology clinic at OU Health Physicians has received a designation from the Spina Bifida Association as a Spina Bifida Clinical Care Partner.

 The national association selects partners based on demonstrated commitment to the care of spina bifida patients and pursuit of continuous improvements in care.

The application process began more than a year ago, spearheaded by Jennifer Cooper, MSN, APRN, Valari Cathey, APRN, CNP, and Dominic Frimberger, M.D., pediatric urologist.

The application must demonstrate the applicant’s adherence to 10 best practices known to contribute to the best outcomes for people with spina bifida.

Frimberger, chief of pediatric urology at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, said, “Often, the care of patients with spina bifida is a lifelong partnership that involves the patient’s entire family. It’s important that parents feel confident, not only in the level of care their child receives, but also that they feel supported by the highly skilled professionals who provide that care as needs evolve and change over time. Our pediatric urology clinic and Oklahoma Children’s Hospital stand alone in offering such breadth of multidisciplinary, pediatric-specific resources so essential to the care of this patient population.”

Spina bifida is a birth defect, not uncommon in the United States, occurring in one per 2,000 live births. A type of neural tube defect, it is complex and affects no two individuals in the same way. The condition develops in early-stage pregnancy, the result of incomplete closure of the spine, which leaves areas of the spinal cord and spinal nerves exposed.

In its most severe form, the level of exposure makes an infant prone to life-threatening infections, and has the potential to cause paralysis and bladder and bowel dysfunction. Spina bifida is the most common birth defect affecting the central nervous system. While its causes are not entirely understood, it is believed to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

 “Becoming an SBA Clinical Care Partner is an honor for this clinic, and we’re excited for the benefits our patients will realize,” Cooper said. “As part of our partnership, we have established a new Spina Bifida Clinic at The Children’s Center in Bethany, which facilitates our ability to deliver the kind of sophisticated services and care for optimal outcomes.”

Cathey explained that the participation of The Children’s Center supports coordinated specialty care in a single setting. Spina bifida patients may require a broad range of care encompassing urology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, orthotics, physiatry, nutrition, therapy and social services.

A number of best practices required by the Spina Bifida Association have been standard at the OU Health Physicians pediatric urology clinic for years. The clinic’s active involvement with the Oklahoma Adaptive Sports Association (OKASA) is part of a longstanding tradition.

With the exception of pandemic-related circumstances, the clinic has coordinated and aggressively promoted the annual Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, which pairs physician, executive and administrative teams competing in wheelchairs, against the athletes who make up OKASA teams. Many are patients seen at the OU Health Physicians pediatric urology clinic.

The clinic also has a well-established transition program that maps the course of care as patients become adults with different care needs. REACH Clinic incorporates four levels of transition, which begin at age 16.

Its purpose is to provide urological care that meets the needs of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with chronic childhood conditions, including but not limited to spina bifida, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, bladder exstrophy, and other genetic, neurological or congenital conditions. The goal is to prevent urgent urological healthcare issues and creates a bridge that helps patients transition smoothly from pediatric to adult healthcare services. In this way, this vulnerable patient population finds support throughout the lifespan. 

With nearly one million patient visits per year, OU Health Physicians provides healthcare with a depth and breadth of expertise that is unmatched in the region. Locations range from the Oklahoma Health Center in downtown Oklahoma City to 23 total clinics in the Oklahoma City area, Edmond and Midwest City.

 In the Tulsa area, 300 physicians and specialists provide clinical care at five OU Health Physicians clinics. Most providers also serve as faculty of the OU College of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, training the next generation of physicians.

For more information, visit ouhealth.com.

OU Health is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. With 11,000 employees and more than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, OU Health is home to Oklahoma’s largest doctor network with a complete range of specialty care.

OU Health serves Oklahoma and the region with the state’s only freestanding children’s hospital, the only National Cancer Institute-Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and Oklahoma’s flagship hospital, which serves as the state’s only Level 1 trauma center.

Becker’s Hospital Review named University of Oklahoma Medical Center one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America for 2020. OU Health’s oncology program at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center was named Oklahoma’s top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020-21 rankings.

OU Health also was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in these specialties: Colon Surgery, COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. OU Health’s mission is to lead healthcare in patient care, education and research. To learn more, visit ouhealth.com.