CONWAY - Neurologists Tim Freyaldenhoven and Keith Schluterman have combined their practices into a partnership with Conway Regional Health System to form the Conway Regional Neuroscience Center. Previously the two physicians operated Arkansas Neurology in Conway.

The Conway Regional Neuroscience Center opened in Feb. and is located in suite 305 on the third floor of the Conway Regional Medical Plaza.

Dr. Freyaldenhoven said that a major change will be to focus more time on clinical care and less on business operations. This partnership secures neurology coverage for Conway Regional and will enable them to recruit additional neurologists to accommodate the needs of Faulkner County.

Dr. Schluterman said the move will lessen anxiety regarding insurance coverage and fee schedule changes as well as inflation of practice costs. Medical records will become more integrated and a patient's clinical care can be directly carried over to hospital admissions.

Conway Regional will manage the business side of the practice so Freyaldenhoven and Schluterman can focus on patient care both in the center and in the hospital.

The center provides a vehicle to expand neurological and sleep services to the community. A study published in the "Neurologist," the Journal of the American Academy of Neurology, indicated that the national shortage of neurologists is expected to grow to a 19 percent shortfall by 2025.

Drs. Freyaldenhoven and Schluterman have shared the same office space since 2004. Both of them received their medical degrees from the University of Arkansas.