Type Of Business:
Healthcare, Hospital Based Group
Expertise:
Diagnostic Radiology (MRT, CT), consulting on complicated cases (TIA, strokes, aneurysms, complicated spines) to assist in deciding what treatment the patient needs, interventional procedures (treating aneurysms, preventing and treating strokes, stents, balloons, minimally invasive spine procedures).
Major Product/SVS:
Hospital provides the best in technology, expertise, and professional concern, as well as a unique spiritual environment committed to the treatment of the whole patient, not the disease
Hobbies/Sports:
Showing her own hunter/jumper and pleasure horses nationally, at U.S. Equestrian Federation, Palomino Horse Breeders Association and American Quarter Horse Association shows. Currently getting into breeding Thoroughbreds.
Education Degrees:
MD, New York University (1983); Neurosurgery Residency, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY (1983-1990), Radiology Residency and Neuroradiology Fellowship, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA (1990-1996).
Affiliations Awards:
Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery; American Society of Neuroradiology; Society of Interventional Radiology; American Stroke Association; American Society of Neurosurgery Association; Speakers Bureau for GE and Pharmaceutical Industry.
Place of Birth:
Bethpage, NY
Industry:
Neuroradiology and Interventional Radiology
Country of Origin:
New York
Date of Distinction:
12/7/2007
Work History:
Has worked at the same hospital since finishing fellowship; advancing to Director of service in 2 years. Maintains position as Clinical Associate Professor in the Radiology Department at LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans.
Career Achievements:
Multiple publications and talks, being asked to participate in writing groups developing standards for the field, participating on the program committees of major meetings.
What do you feel separates you from the rest of the professionals in your industry?:
Dr. Wojak's passion and dedication to keep the field moving forward into the future separates her from others in her industry.
What has been the most outstanding thing you have done thus far in your career?:
Dr. Wojak's greatest career achievement was co-authoring the most widely read textbook in Interventional Neuroradiology, published in 1999..
How would you like to be remembered by your peers?:
Honest, committed to the best care for patients and to the advancement of the field. A leader in the field of Interventional Neuroradiology.
If you could solve one problem in the world today, what would it be?:
Improving the accessibilty of an acceptable basic level of health care on a global basis.
If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?:
Leonardo da Vinci - the true Renaissance man.
Highlight of career?:
Co-authoring the most widely read textbook in Interventional Neuroradiology.
Charity:
Volunteers and Serves on the Board of Acadiana Therapeutic Riding Organization
Number Of Years In Current Position:
12
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
Commitment to the advancement of the field and treatment of patients, Unwillingness to compromise on these points. Willing to be a leader, not a follower.
How Did They Get Involved In Profession:
Switched from Neurosurgery after spending time with one of the pioneers in the field during Neurosurgery Residency.
Extended Bio Profile:
Dr. Joan C. Wojak is an acclaimed researcher and groundbreaker in the field of neuroradiology.
Here is an excerpt from an article published by Acadiana Profile: The Battle Against Strokes, by Wes Milligan
Interventional stroke therapy:
Catheters, corkscrews and coils
The most common form of treatment for an ischemic stroke is to intravenously administer the blood-thinning agent t-PA, or tissue plasminogen activator. But this drug must be given within three hours of the onset of the stroke, because after three hours the risk of giving the drug significantly increases the chance of brain bleed. Due to the limited time period, most patients do not make it to the hospital in time to receive this treatment, leaving doctors with only the option of controlling certain factors, such as the patient’s blood pressure.
In order to increase the time window for treating ischemic strokes, an increasing number of doctors are beginning to believe in interventional stroke therapy, in which doctors can thread a catheter through the body directly to the blood clot to administer t-PA, rather than pumping a larger dose of the drug throughout the whole body intravenously. Devices that mechanically retrieve the clot are also used.
According to Dr. Joan Wojak, medical director of the Neurosciences Department at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, this type of therapy can increase the time window to six hours. This treatment requires a smaller dosage of t-PA, thus decreasing the chance of brain bleed into the extended time window, she observes.
Dr. Wojak is a pioneer in the field of interventional neuroradiology, which uses innovative methods to treat patients with conditions affecting the brain and spine. She says these aggressive approaches are proving to be successful and are drawing more interest to the field. Dr. Wojak co-authored the 1999 book Interventional Neuro-radiology: Strategies and Practical Techniques, and she has sat on several national committees for neuroscience training and treatment.
Runs monthly Neuroscience roundtable involving presentations on topics of interest and review of interesting cases brought by the physician audience; public speaking at professional association meetings in her field.