[5 min read]
In this article:
- This month, Dr. James Bowen, director of the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center will retire, wrapping up four decades pioneering models of MS care and research.
- The MS Center is the world's most comprehensive, and treats more than 4,000 patients from over 20 countries annually.
- Watch the videos from Dr. Bowen's retirment celebration and about the center's one-of-a-kind Adventure and Recreation Program.
Everything you need to know about James Bowen, M.D., can be summed up with a story about a coat hook.
When Dr. Bowen joined Swedish as the founding medical director of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center in 2009, he was heavily involved in the clinic’s build out at Swedish Cherry Hill. Instead of a traditional office with exam rooms, he advocated for a space that fit the unique needs of his patients.
Carpet that might hinder wheelchairs and walkers? Nixed. Exam room chairs? Required to have armrests so patients with limb weaknesses could more easily maneuver in and out of their seats. Doors were assessed, hallway widths measured. So, when it came time to mount coat hooks on the walls, naturally, Dr. Bowen had an opinion.
The original design plans had coat hooks set to be mounted at a standard height, catering to a standing individual. Dr. Bowen insisted on a lower height that would be suitable for wheelchair users. Today, each exam room has two coat hooks, one at each height. Dr. Bowen jokes it’s one of his proudest moments.
“That’s Jim,” says Pavle Repovic, M.D., Ph.D., research director for Swedish MS Center. “He’s all about the patients.”
This month, Dr. Bowen will retire, wrapping up a momentous four-decade career pioneering a new model of multiple sclerosis care and research. Dr. Repovic, who has been with the Swedish MS Center since 2010, will take over as medical director.
After more than four decades leading the Swedish MS Center, Dr. James Bowen is passing the torch. “I feel good about the future of the clinic,” says Dr. Bowen. “It’s a good time to retire.” Watch the video to share in his recent retirement celebration.
“Jim is ready for his next chapter, and we could not be more excited for him, but it’s an understatement to say that he will be missed by the Providence Swedish community,” says Elizabeth Wako, M.D., president and CEO of Swedish Health Services. “We are grateful for his vision and exemplary commitment to our patients. He’s been a model for us all and we’re able to continue offering unparalleled care for our patients with MS because Jim authored the blueprint for excellence in MS care.”
Watch this video to learn more about the Swedish MS Center's one-of-a-kind Adventure and Recreation Program, which was concieved by Dr. James Bowen. The program offers patients with MS the opportunity to hike, ski, swim, skydive and more.
A childhood dream and a business plan
Dr. Bowen doesn’t do anything by half measures. When he was in fifth grade, he declared he was going to be a doctor. Then in medical school, he decided that neurosurgery wasn’t challenging enough (“my best scores were in surgery”) and instead pursued the two most-feared courses: neurology and immunology.
This go-big-or-go-home approach led him to multiple sclerosis, the most prominent disease in the field of neuroimmunology. It’s only fitting then that he would go on to revolutionize multiple sclerosis care.
“Dr. Bowen is usually the smartest guy in any room, but he doesn’t need to let people know that. He is so modest and caring and always meets people where they are,” says MS Center Occupational Therapist Simon Gale. “He is always present, engaged and generous with his time.”
Gale leads the center's one-of-a-kind Adventure and Recreation Program, which Dr. Bowen concieved more than a decade ago. The program offers patients with MS the opportunity to hike, ski, swim, skydive and more.
In the Pacific Northwest, which has three times the prevalence of MS than other parts of the country, Dr. Bowen was the first neurologist to focus exclusively on the disease. He arrived at Swedish with a 35-page business plan detailing every aspect of a revolutionary new MS program, from in-depth patient support services to that patient-focused office. The Providence Swedish MS Center opened in 2012, and today treats more than 4,000 patients annually from over 20 countries. It’s considered the most comprehensive clinic of its kind in the country, if not the world.
Dr. Bowen’s dedication to his patients shows in their loyalty to him — some have been with Dr. Bowen for more than 30 years.
“You really get to know them,” Dr. Bowen says of his patients. “You spend half your visit asking how their kids are or about their last trip, and that’s how you learn how they’re really doing. They make it much more fun to practice medicine.”
A new model for MS care
On a recent tour of the center, Dr. Bowen appeared to know the story of every patient, team member, volunteer, and community supporter who’s contributed to the center’s success over the years — and there are a lot of them.
Part of what has made the MS Center such a gamechanger in the medical space is its truly holistic approach to care, from physical and mental support to social and community needs.
“What sets our center apart is, in addition to routine clinical care at a high level and interesting research protocols, we’re also able to offer patients a unique angle of patient empowerment that the center offers them,” Dr. Repovic explains. “This is through support groups, outdoor groups, music therapy, all these things that are still frankly extremely unique and uncommon.”
At the Swedish MS Center, rehab psychologists and neuropsychiatrists support the mental health of patients throughout their care. A vocational counselor and a social worker help with navigating disability benefits and medical accommodations. There’s a gym with specialized equipment, an adventure program that keeps patients involved in the outdoor activities they love, and even a wellness studio that hosts support groups and a litany of activities: yoga, Pilates, music therapy, crafting, book club, movie club, creative writing, and watercolors.
Having everything a patient may need in a one-stop clinic extends to what Dr. Bowen and Dr. Repovic hope is in the future of MS care: a cure.
The MS Center is involved in approximately 30 research studies at any one time. By design, the research team is located within the clinic itself so a coordinator can meet with eligible patients in-person to recruit them into studies and get them potential new medications as quickly as possible.
“In his quiet, unassuming way he has molded an environment in which we are not simply treating illness,” says Gale. “There is a deeply rooted culture here of considering the whole person. This is a gift to both our patients and the caregivers.”
When Dr. Bowen first entered the field, there were no treatments for MS. Now there are 19 U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved medications, with the center’s clinical trials being involved in 14 of them. In the coming years, Dr. Repovic and the team will continue working on new ways to tackle MS via research and data science.
“We’ve created a program here that has value,” Dr. Bowen explains. “And it’s because everyone on this team pulls in the same direction. We’re all here for the patient.”
At the Providence Swedish MS Center, it’s a truth reflected in every coat hook.
Learn more and find a physician or advanced practice clinician (APC)
If you have questions about multiple sclerosis, contact the Swedish MS Center. We can accommodate both in-person and virtual visits. Learn more about the Swedish Neuroscience Institute.
Whether you require urgent care, an in-person visit or want to consult a doctor virtually, you have options. For urgent, walk-in or after-hours care, visit one of our Swedish Urgent Care facilities. Swedish Virtual Care connects you face-to-face with a nurse practitioner who can review your symptoms, provide instruction and follow up as needed. If you need to find a doctor, you can use our provider directory.
You can help support a healthy tomorrow and more with a gift to the Swedish Foundation.
Additional resources
Learn how Swedish's MS Center Adventure Program fosters joy and community
MS Adventure Program leader Simon Gale on New Day Northwest |King 5
MS treatment at Swedish: visionary research and world-class care
With 10-year anniversary, the Swedish MS Center marks a decade of healing
This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional's instructions.
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