UPMC Welcomes New Chief of Neurology in Harrisburg and Williamsport

July 1, 2024

HARRISBURG, Pa. – UPMC has appointed Kerstin Bettermann, M.D., Ph.D., FANA, FAAN, to chief of neurology for UPMC Neurological Institute and hospital services in central and north central Pennsylvania. She will have clinical oversight of eight UPMC Neurological Institute locations serving Annville, Carlisle, Harrisburg, Hershey, Lancaster, Mechanicsburg, Spring Grove, and Williamsport.

“Our neurologists have a reputation of exceptional care, service, and innovation,” said Kim Rinehart, executive administrator, UPMC Neurological Institute, UPMC in Central Pa. “Dr. Bettermann has a track record of clinical excellence and proven leadership skills that make her an excellent choice to lead our neurology care teams in the region. With her guidance and expertise, we will continue to innovate and deliver life-changing medicine.”

Dr. Bettermann specializes in vascular neurology and the treatment of strokes. Her research and clinical interests center around how chronic diseases like diabetes and dementia influence stroke risk, treatment and recovery. She is passionate about holistic health care, addressing health disparities, and understanding how partnerships with interdisciplinary care teams and community organizations can influence health outcomes.

“Pennsylvania’s population is aging and has a high incidence of chronic disease, so it’s important for us to collaborate with the community to address the devastating causes and effects of neurologic disease,” said Dr. Bettermann. “I’m looking forward to serving the community I call home and partnering with UPMC, University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, and our community partners to bring life-changing neurological care to the central and north central Pennsylvania regions.”

Dr. Bettermann was most recently a professor of neurology and chief of the divisions of vascular and critical care neurology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Before that, she was a professor of neurology at Penn State College of Medicine and neurologist with Penn State Health. She received her medical degree and a doctorate in neurophysiology from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and she completed residency training programs in neurology at the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and psychiatry at Henrich-Heine University of Dusseldorf, Germany. Dr. Bettermann then completed a neurology residency and a vascular neurology fellowship at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C. She is board-certified in neurology and vascular neurology from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Neurological Association.

“UPMC Neurological Institute’s team of highly skilled and experienced neurologists and neurosurgeons are conveniently located across the regions we serve, where we offer comprehensive treatments for diseases of the brain, spinal column, nerves, and muscles,” said Page Pennell, M.D., FANA, FAAN, FAES, professor and chair, Department of Neurology, UPMC and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “I look forward to partnering with Dr. Bettermann to extend UPMC’s vast expertise, innovation, and high-quality care to the communities of central and north central Pennsylvania.”

To learn more about UPMC Neurological Institute, visit UPMC.com/CentralPaNeuro.

Kerstin Bettermann, M.D., Ph.D., FANA, FAAN