OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center is set to open a new pain and spine centre in the US on 20 December.

The centre in Urbana will provide increased access to high-demand care.

Set to open on the hospital's first floor, the renovated clinic will offer services such as lidocaine and steroid injections, as well as radio frequency ablation, providing alternatives to surgery for chronic pain and spine issues.

Dr Zeeshan Ahmad, a long-time spine and pain management provider, along with neurosurgeons and clinical staff, will be part of the centre’s team.

The clinic features a dedicated parking lot and entrance for convenient appointments.

Patients can also access related services, including physical therapy and MRIs, making OSF Heart of Mary a comprehensive treatment hub for pain and spine issues.

The clinic accepts most insurances, including Health Alliance.

OSF Heart of Mary president J.T. Barnhart said: “With an ageing population across the country, care for chronic pain and spine issues is in high demand, and it’s no different in Champaign County.

“Living with daily pain impacts your quality of life. That’s why the ability to get an appointment quickly through this new clinic is important.

“Our Mission Partners [employees] are excited to meet this community need.”

OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system based in Peoria, Illinois.

It operates 16 hospitals, with a total of 2,131 licensed beds in Illinois and Michigan.

Employing nearly 24,000 Mission Partners across more than 150 locations, OSF HealthCare also has two nursing colleges, home care services, Pointcore, the OSF HealthCare Foundation, and OSF Ventures.

In 2020, a digital health unit called OSF OnCall was established, providing hospital-at-home services.