News Release

Alexandru Tanase, MD.

WARSAW — Alexandru Tanase, a pediatrician at Lutheran Health Physicians Warsaw, worked with researchers from the Indiana School of Medicine on a study to promote identification of autism and developmental disabilities at the earliest point possible. Tanase’s Warsaw practice was one of eight Early Autism Evaluation (EAE) Hubs that participated in the study.

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States. Specialists who diagnose autism are typically located in larger cities which can lead to delays in diagnosis for children who live in smaller towns. The study sought to determine if primary care providers could diagnose autism accurately after receiving specialized training.

“Our goal was to identify autism as early as possible,” said Tanase.

Tanase performed evaluations on children ages 14-48 months who were at increased
likelihood of autism, with 20 area families opting in to the study. Across the state, 126
children participated with researchers finding an 82 percent agreement on an autism
diagnosis between trained EAE Hub primary care clinicians, such as Tanase, and expert
autism specialists.

“It was an honor to participate in a study that shows autism can be diagnosed at a younger age, leading to earlier interventions which ultimately will improve outcomes for both the child and family,” said Tanase.

About Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital:

Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital is a 72-bed facility with all-private rooms, located on a 30-acre medical campus in Warsaw, Accredited by The Joint Commission and a part of Lutheran Health Network, the hospital offers a variety of quality services close to home, including emergency care, an urgent care center, heart and stroke care, orthopedics, occupational health, rehabilitation services, a sleep center, a wound care center and a cancer care center providing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital has the only emergency department in the county that is an accredited chest pain center and accredited stroke center and is the only hospital in the county with inpatient capability. For more information, visit lutherankosciuskohospital.com or call (574) 267-3200.

About Lutheran Health Network:

Lutheran Health Network is a family of more than 6,000 employees, physicians, advanced practice providers and volunteers dedicated to providing compassionate, quality care with the best possible experience, to every patient, every time. As a taxpaying, integrated healthcare delivery system and one of the largest employers in the region, Lutheran Health Network makes a positive impact on the communities we serve.

Access points across northeast Indiana include acute care hospitals, specialty hospitals, physician offices, urgent care clinics and outpatient centers. For more information, please visit LutheranHealth.net. Dupont, Lutheran, Lutheran Downtown, Rehabilitation and The Orthopedic hospitals are owned in part by physicians.