Five Star Urgent Care in Clay offering head-injury assessments

CLAY, N.Y. — Five Star Urgent Care’s location in Clay is now offering BrainScope One, a head-injury assessment device that screens and detects brain injury.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has cleared the product, Five Star Urgent Care said in a news release.

The office is located at 7375 Oswego Road (Route 57).

The company’s location in Greece, near Rochester, has also started using the technology, Five Star said in an email response to a BJNN inquiry.

Five Star uses the technology to assess and diagnose patients aged 18 to 65 who come to the facility with mild head injuries.

“As research evolves, head injuries – no matter the degree — continue to have unforeseen future complications when not properly diagnosed or treated,” Dr. John Radford, president of Five Star Urgent Care, said. “With BrainScope One, Five Star Urgent Care is able to help patients receive an accurate diagnosis that takes the guesswork out of their head injury while allowing us to recommend the best possible treatment. This is part of our commitment to keeping our patients healthy and safe.”

About BrainScope One

Patients over the age of 18 who have sustained a mild head injury within the last three days can use the device, Five Star said.

After an assessment, a Five Star clinician places a disposable BrainScope One headset on the patient’s head. “Lasting 20 minutes or less on average,” the device performs an initial electroencephalogram (EEG) followed by two neurocognitive function tests using a portable screen.

A clinician monitors and analyzes the procedure to determine if the patient has a structural brain injury that would be visible on a CT scan and if the patient has evidence of “functional abnormality” that would indicate a concussion.

Five Star will then determine what type of treatment to use; if further tests are required; or if the patient should be referred to a specialist.

Most insurance carriers cover the cost of the assessment, Five Star said. .

Unlike CT scans, which detect brain bleeds, a BrainScope One assessment generates “objective” data that helps clinicians determine the need for a CT scan and the presence of a concussion. By monitoring brain electrical activity and neurocognitive function, BrainScope One produces “no ionizing radiation,” which reduces the risk of being exposed to “unnecessary” radiation that a CT scan can produce.

Launched in 2012, Five Star Urgent Care opened its first location in Big Flats.

Besides Clay and Big Flats, Five Star also operates locations in Cicero, Fairmount, Fayetteville, DeWitt, Ithaca, Oneonta, Oswego, and Vestal, along with locations in Plattsburgh, Geneva, Greece, Jamestown, and Niagara Falls. All facilities are open seven days a week.

The firm is headquartered in the Buffalo area.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

 Photo provided by Five Star Urgent Care