Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group expands neuropsychology program
Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group is expanding its neuropsychology team and services with the addition of two new providers - Jim Andrikopoulos, Ph.D., and Melissa Lancaster, Ph.D.
Dr. Andrikopoulos is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist who sees a diverse patient population, including head injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, dementia, movement disorders and psychogenic conditions. With nearly 30 years of experience, Dr. Andrikopoulos joined Northwestern Medicine after 16 years at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.
Dr. Lancaster is a fellowship-trained neuropsychologist who specializes in neuro-oncology, neurodegenerative diseases, dementia, movement disorders, epilepsy, stroke and multiple sclerosis. A dedicated portion of Dr. Lancaster's practice is focused on serving patients with brain tumors, and evaluating the neuropsychological impact of cancer and treatment on a patient's cognitive abilities. She works closely with the Northwestern Medicine Brain and Spine Tumor Center team to help design comprehensive, personalized care plans for patients with brain tumors.
Both providers are accepting patients at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. Drs. Andrikopoulos and Lancaster join the existing Neuropsychology team, which is led by Michael Mercury, Ph.D., and includes Reid Kehoe, PsyD; and Susannah More, Ph.D., to provide comprehensive neuropsychological assessments.
The team's expertise supports Dr. Mercury's vision of developing a comprehensive neuropsychology program that can care for patients from initial assessment and diagnosis all the way through treatment and rehabilitation, with the goal of maximizing quality of life.
In addition to new doctors and expanded services, the group also recently added two full-time psychometrists to enable patients to be seen within a week of referral.
"The neuropsychology team is a resource for any patient who is having cognitive difficulties related to an injury or disease," said Dr. Mercury. "Our goal is to collaborate with referring physicians to provide a more comprehensive treatment by identifying cognitive weaknesses. Combining our clinical strengths with the research resources of our colleagues at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, we can have a significant impact on the health of the patients in the communities we serve."
To learn more about the neuropsychology team, visit rmg.nm.org. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (630) 524-5845.