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You can count on US
Meet Sassan Keshavarzi, MD
Medical Director, The Brain and Spine Institute at
San Joaquin Community Hospital
Sassan Keshavarzi, MD
Medical Director, The Brain and Spine Institute
Dr. Keshavarzi is a board-certified and fellowship-trained neurosurgeon, with a sub-
specialty in reconstructive spine surgery and scoliosis. Before joining The Brain and
Spine Institute in 2016, Dr. Keshavarzi was chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery
and medical director of the Spine Institute at the University of Florida in Jacksonville,
a level 1 trauma center. He went to medical school in New York and completed his
residency, internship and fellowship at UC San Diego
.
The specialist will see you
now.
Talk with your primary
care physician if you think
an appointment with a brain
and spine specialist is the
right thing for you.
If you think you or a loved one is having
a stroke, call 911 immediately. Tell the
paramedics to take you to San Joaquin
Community Hospital.
Q
When did you know you wanted to be
a doctor?
A
From age 7 or 8…and a surgeon specifically. It
seemed like the most honorable way to spend my
life. In my family, being a doctor is the most prestigious
thing you can do, because it gives you the opportunity to
serve many different people.
Q
Why is it important to have brain and spine
care in Bakersfield?
A
I’ve had people in my own family who have had
to drive more than 100 miles into Los Angeles to
have surgery. A lot of people don’t have the resources
to do that. When your physician is out of the area, it also
makes your follow-up care more difficult. It’s important that
we have physicians here, solving health care issues and
ensuring the day-to-day quality of care is high.
Q
What do you find most fulfilling in
your work?
A
When I perform surgery for patients who otherwise
may not have access. Being a physician gives me
the opportunity to provide the same high-quality care for
all my patients that I would give to my own family if they
were in need.
Q
What is your hometown?
A
Right now my hometown is Bakersfield. I’ve brought
my mom to live here too. I’ve lived all over the
world, but this is where I want to live indefinitely. It’s the
first time I haven’t wished I was somewhere else.
The Brain and Spine Institute at San Joaquin
Community Hospital (SJCH) provides
comprehensive care, including the best in stroke
treatment. In fact, SJCH is the first hospital
between Los Angeles and San Francisco
to earn distinction as a Nationally Certified
Stroke Center and to be ranked among the
top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide for the
treatment of stroke. That means we’ve met the
top standards—with the best possible results—
for the people in our care.
THE BRAIN AND SPINE INSTITUTE
FEATURES:
A highly skilled Stroke Alert Team,
available 24/7
An award-winning, nationally recognized
Primary Stroke Center
Advanced diagnostic imaging services for
diagnosing brain and spine disorders
A dedicated ICU (intensive care unit) for
brain and spine patients
Telemedicine access to provide neuro-
logical care throughout Kern County
We stand at the ready.
Our elite team delivers
the highest level of care. If you or a loved one
needs brain or spine treatment, you can count
on our expertise, advanced technology and
compassion.