Major changes: 2003-2007

From 2003 on, the clinic had to incorporate quickly the changes caused by major crises and advances in Medicine that took place in Curitiba, the world and Brazil. First came the essence of Medicine: appointments, which became increasingly less valued, being it in the general public point of view or through payments, generally responsibility of health insurances. Examinations and reports became much better paid and highly taken into consideration. At the same time, a paradigm: the demand for neurological consults increased, perhaps because of the decreased number of doctors willing to perform them. Then, for the first time, the more expensive  appointment in the clinic and in the city of Curitiba was above the historically charged US$100, or a minimum wage, reaching US$170, nevertheless, below the price charged in London, for example, which is more than US$1,000, or in São Paulo, about R$1,000.

The Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças, for more than 20 years the basis for the clinic performance, no longer had fellowships, internships for students, study centers, research groups and scientific interest. Everything just collapsed between 2004 and 2005, similar to what happened in most hospitals that worked for SUS all over the country - the so called charity. Major hospitals in Curitiba were replaced by small clinics, more efficient from a financial perspective, prepared to perform surgical procedures and diagnoses.

Unexpectedly, the UNINEURO became a controversial national and international phenomenon, even more than it had already become through its history, with the advent of pre-transplant and the high-dose chemotherapy for Multiple Sclerosis and Immune Disorders. In 2005 and 2006, we began to play a worldwide leading role in this field. Although not totally unexpected, as it was the natural development of a work that started 20 years ago, it was a surprise to those who did not follow our work closely.

Fortunately, for us it was not unexpected so that a big refurbish in the clinic, already planned for several years, was held in the second half of 2005 and so we could accommodate the patients that came because of this. But it was not easy, because there resulted consequences of a structural, functional, conceptual, even legal and financial point of view. The clinic increased in almost 100%, a total change in the classical appearance the house had, the main offices, health permits and broader agreements with health insurances. Everything, once again, with our procedures being in a cutting-edge level, the first in the country, in many cases the first in the world. Very nice, but difficult through an operational and financial point of view. Mainly because the increased number of patients happened at a time when we nomore had the support of the massive structure we ourselves had built over 20 years of work in the Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças. A structure that was ours and we tried to take it to the clinic. But, it was like switching from a horse to another or from a horse to a kangaroo. Although we knew that the hospital was heading towards this crisis, the fall is never completely predictable.

Accommodating a whole new reality of concepts, ethics, finances, physical and functional structure, new people, new equipment, new partnerships, new health insurance partnerships, new computers, digital files, everything new, stretched several times to the limit the capabilities of all involved over these 4 or 5 years. Certainly, most of our colleagues in Curitiba and in other cities in Brazil felt the same, and those who did not, will not keep on Neurology with the performance expected in the twenty-first century.

UNINEURO - 2010

After the structural change in 2005, a complete re-structure of the site www.unineuro.com.br took place. The now 400m2-clinic is in a calm and very central part of town with its own parking lot and air-conditioned environment. Between 2007 and 2008 a new change in the appearance was made and in the new facilities the clinic is ready for us to reach our goals. There are now two waiting rooms, three offices, two psychotherapy rooms, three video-EEG and PSG rooms, a physiotherapy room, three bathrooms, a laundry,  a waste treatment room, 10 parking spaces, plus a full chemotherapy and infusion room, all duly accredited by the relevant authorities. In the house there is an efficient security system, which has not allowed any kind of problems since it has been on.
We are now two adult neurologists, a pediatric neurologist, a psychiatrist, two pediatric and two adults psychologists, a psychologist running tests on cognitive function, two technitians in neurophysiology and 4 administrative and reception staff.