Our goal is to make the evaluation process as clear, organized, and efficient as possible. Most new patients begin with a Second Opinion Review, which provides a comprehensive review of your medical history, imaging studies, and prior evaluations. This review helps determine whether additional diagnostic evaluation, treatment, or surgery may be appropriate. Throughout the process, our team will guide you through each step and provide educational resources to help you understand your diagnosis and treatment options.
For efficiency, precision, and speed, please communicate via email instead of phone, fax, or mail.
Prospective new patients should begin by sending an email to both members of our new patient intake team:
John Biggins, PhD
Director of Clinical Research
john.biggins@mountsinai.org
Yansi Carranza, MPA
Administrative Coordinator for Neuroscience
yansi.carranza@mountsinai.org
Following your initial inquiry, our team will collect your demographic information, verify your insurance eligibility, and obtain a brief clinical summary, including the reason for your consultation. This initial screening helps determine whether your evaluation is appropriate for our Center and whether your insurance coverage meets the Center’s participation requirements.
If you are eligible to proceed, you will receive instructions for completing the required clinical questionnaires and securely uploading your medical records and imaging studies to your HIPAA-compliant Box folder.
The Center currently accepts
At this time, we do not accept
After all requested materials have been received, your submission will be reviewed for completeness before your Second Opinion Review begins.
Once all required medical records, imaging studies, and clinical questionnaires have been received, your case will be prepared for a comprehensive Second Opinion Review by Dr. Paolo Bolognese.
The Second Opinion Review is a detailed assessment of your medical history, imaging studies, prior evaluations, and available diagnostic testing. It is performed without a live physician-patient consultation and is designed to better understand your condition, identify potential diagnoses, and determine the most appropriate next steps.
Following completion of the review, you will receive a comprehensive written report outlining Dr. Paolo Bolognese’s assessment, interpretation of your imaging and diagnostic studies, diagnostic impressions, and individualized recommendations for future care. Reports are typically extensive and often serve as a valuable resource for both patients and their treating physicians, providing a comprehensive review of prior evaluations, imaging findings, diagnostic considerations, treatment recommendations, and educational material to support future care and informed decision-making.
Depending on your individual clinical presentation, recommendations may include one or more of the following
Second Opinion Reviews typically require at least three months after all required materials have been received. The review timeline may vary depending on the complexity of your case, the completeness of the submitted records, and the volume of cases under review.
For selected patients, the Second Opinion Review may recommend proceeding with Advanced Diagnostic Evaluation (Invasive Procedures) as the next step in the clinical pathway. This phase of evaluation is designed to further clarify the diagnosis, establish the clinical significance of imaging and other diagnostic findings, and guide individualized treatment planning. Patients who are recommended for further evaluation will receive additional information regarding scheduling, pre-procedural requirements, and the recommended diagnostic studies. Please refer to our Advanced Diagnostic Evaluation (Invasive Procedures) for additional information.
Following review of your Second Opinion Report, some patients may wish to discuss the findings and recommendations in greater detail with Dr. Paolo Bolognese. If additional clarification is desired after reviewing the report and accompanying educational materials, an optional telephone follow-up consultation may be scheduled through Irene Pendergast, Executive Assistant to Dr. Paolo Bolognese, at hilda.pendergast@mountsinai.org.
This consultation provides an opportunity to review your individualized recommendations, answer questions regarding the findings, and discuss potential next steps in your care. Following the consultation, a supplemental written report summarizing the discussion and any additional recommendations will be provided as part of your medical record.
For selected patients, the Second Opinion Review may recommend proceeding with Advanced Diagnostic Evaluation (Invasive Procedures) when additional clinical information is needed to clarify the diagnosis and guide subsequent treatment recommendations.
This phase of the evaluation provides the first opportunity for extensive face-to-face interaction with Dr. Paolo Bolognese and is designed to address specific diagnostic questions that cannot be adequately resolved through review of the medical history, imaging studies, and routine diagnostic testing alone.
Preparing for Advanced Diagnostic Evaluation
When Advanced Diagnostic Evaluation (Invasive Procedures) is recommended as part of your Second Opinion Review, patients who elect to proceed should contact Dawn Verity, Surgical Coordinator, at dawn.verity@mountsinai.org. She will coordinate scheduling, hospital admission, travel planning, and all pre-admission requirements, and will guide you through each step of the evaluation process. Most Advanced Diagnostic Evaluations (Invasive Procedures) are completed during a brief hospital admission.
Pre-Admission Evaluation
Before your hospital admission, patients complete a standardized pre-admission evaluation, which includes
These evaluations help ensure patient safety, establish a comprehensive clinical baseline, and provide important information for interpreting the results of the diagnostic evaluation and guiding subsequent diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
Review of Results and Recommendations
Following completion of your Advanced Diagnostic Evaluation (Invasive Procedures), the diagnostic findings are carefully reviewed and integrated with your medical history, neurological examination, imaging studies, and other relevant clinical information. When appropriate, imaging studies may undergo additional post-processing and interpretation to further assist with diagnosis and treatment planning.
Comprehensive Written Summary
Following completion of the evaluation, Dr. Paolo Bolognese prepares a comprehensive written report, typically within one week of hospital discharge. Depending on the complexity of the case, the report may range from approximately 20 to 40 pages and includes interpretation of the diagnostic findings, analysis of the results, diagnostic impressions, and individualized recommendations for further evaluation and treatment.
Follow-Up Consultation with Dr. Paolo Bolognese
Approximately two weeks after hospital discharge, a telephone follow-up consultation with Dr. Paolo Bolognese will be scheduled through Irene Pendergast, Executive Assistant to Dr. Paolo Bolognese, at hilda.pendergast@mountsinai.org. During this consultation, Dr. Bolognese will review the written summary, discuss the diagnostic findings and recommendations, answer questions, and formulate an individualized treatment plan. Following the consultation, a supplemental written summary of the discussion and any additional recommendations will be prepared as part of your medical record.
Following completion of Advanced Diagnostic Evaluation (Invasive Procedures), Dr. Paolo Bolognese will review the diagnostic findings, discuss the results with you, and formulate an individualized treatment plan.
Treatment recommendations are based on the integration of your medical history, neurological examination, imaging studies, and the results of your diagnostic evaluation. Depending on your specific condition, recommendations may include continued conservative management, additional diagnostic evaluation, consultation with other specialists, or surgery.
If surgery is recommended and you elect to proceed, please contact Dawn Verity, Surgical Coordinator, at dawn.verity@mountsinai.org. Dawn will coordinate your surgical scheduling, insurance authorization, preoperative planning, hospital admission, and guide you through each step of the surgical process.
For patients traveling from outside the region or internationally, our team will work to coordinate evaluation and treatment whenever possible to minimize the number of trips required.
Before requesting a follow-up appointment, we strongly encourage established patients to email all three members of our Clinical Care Team with a brief description of any new symptoms, clinical concerns, or questions. Including Dr. Paolo Bolognese at pbolognese@chiarieds.com, Jaclyn Hunter, MS, PA-C at Jaclyn.Hunter@mountsinai.org, and Philip Papadimas, PA-C at philip.papadimas@mountsinai.org on the same email allows the team to review your concerns and, when appropriate, recommend updated imaging studies or additional diagnostic testing before your follow-up consultation. Having the necessary clinical information available in advance helps ensure the most productive and efficient evaluation.
Once the recommended evaluation has been completed, follow-up consultations with Dr. Paolo Bolognese may be scheduled through Irene Pendergast, Executive Assistant to Dr. Paolo Bolognese, at hilda.pendergast@mountsinai.org.
Follow-up consultations provide an opportunity to review interval changes, discuss new diagnostic findings, reassess previous recommendations, answer questions, and formulate an individualized ongoing treatment plan.
Following the consultation, a comprehensive written report summarizing the discussion, clinical assessment, and recommendations will be prepared as part of your medical record.
Important Communication Information
Email is the preferred method for routine clinical questions, scheduling, and administrative communication. However, email should not be used for urgent medical concerns, rapidly worsening neurological symptoms, or medical emergencies.
If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek immediate medical attention.
Patient Resources
We encourage patients and families to take advantage of trusted educational resources and advocacy organizations that provide reliable information, patient support, and community connections for individuals living with complex craniospinal, connective tissue, neurological, and related disorders. Resources include:
Please note that external organizations are independent of the Center for Neuro-EDS and Craniospinal Disorders and are provided as educational resources only.
Need to Reach a Member of Our Team?
Please visit our Contact & Care Team Directory for contact information and guidance on the appropriate member of our team to assist with your needs.