Medical Centers with Focused Ultrasound Treatment for Essential Tremor

You have taken the focused ultrasound candidacy quiz, talked to your physician, and determined your interest in focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor (ET), but what’s next? Let’s explore some frequently asked questions about finding a treatment center and what to do if there isn’t one near you yet.

Where are focused ultrasound treatment centers located?

In the United States, there are currently 48 treatment locations across 25 states and the District of Columbia, with new medical centers being added each year. Outside the U.S., there are 20 treatment centers in Japan and 56 locations across Australia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Mainland China, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.

You can also download the Insightec Connect app and receive help from the Insightec team in finding a treatment site near you.

If you do not live near a treatment center, traveling to one of these sites might be an option. Even though traveling may be difficult for a multitude of reasons, you shouldn’t lose hope.

How do I know if Focused Ultrasound is right for me?

Focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor from Insightec is designed for patients who have been diagnosed with essential tremor, and whose tremors have not adequately responded to medication. There are other treatments, including deep brain stimulation and other surgical options, which should be discussed with your healthcare team in addition to focused ultrasound, but many patients who qualify prefer focused ultrasound for its noninvasive nature. A growing number of health insurance policies cover focused ultrasound, including Medicare.

What can I do if I am unable to travel to an FUS treatment center?

While it is our goal at Insightec to make focused ultrasound treatment for ET available to as many people as possible, we need your help sharing information about this life-changing technology with decision makers in your healthcare community.

Between staffing shortages, funding cuts, and growing operational costs, hospitals are often struggling to allocate funds for requests for new technology and necessary infrastructure upgrades. But you can help! Sharing your personal ET experience may help prioritize the adoption of focused ultrasound technology.

Consider sharing your story and sending the following note to your primary care or general physician, neurologist or hospital’s neurology department or board of directors to explain the importance of this technology and the value it would add to your community:

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is [insert name here] and I have been living with essential tremor for [insert number of years] years. My life has been affected by my essential tremor to the point where I am no longer able to [insert list of activities that you can no longer do]. But two things give me hope: I am not alone – over 10 million Americans are affected with essential tremor – and the focused ultrasound treatment from Insightec for essential tremor that does not respond to medications.

 Would you consider learning more about focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor with the hope of offering it at [insert desired hospital/treatment location] to help others like me with medication-refractory essential tremor?

Thank you for your time and looking forward to hearing from you.

 [insert name and contact information]

Sending a letter might feel like a small step, but it could help change your life and the lives of people around you. Together, we can give essential tremor patients in your community and around the world access to treatment options that make meaningful, long-lasting improvements to their quality of life.