MedStar National Rehabilitation Network (MedStar NRH) is located in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, and specializes in treating persons with physical

disabilities Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...

, including

spinal cord injury A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that causes temporary or permanent changes in its function. Symptoms may include loss of muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in the parts of the body served by the spinal cor ...

brain injury An injury is any physiological damage to living tissue caused by immediate physical stress. An injury can occur intentionally or unintentionally and may be caused by blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, burning, toxic exposure, asphyxiation, or o ...

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...

amputation Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on indi ...

multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...

post-polio syndrome Post-polio syndrome (PPS, poliomyelitis sequelae) is a group of latent symptoms of poliomyelitis (polio), occurring at about a 25–40% rate (latest data greater than 80%). These symptoms are caused by the damaging effects of the viral infection ...

orthopedic Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

, and other

neurological Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal ...

conditions. National Rehabilitation Hospital was founded in 1986 by Edward A. Eckenhoff, and is a member of the

MedStar Health MedStar Health is a not-for-profit healthcare organization. It operates more than 120 entities, including ten hospitals in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area of the United States. In 2011 it was ranked as the employer with the largest ...

system, the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore region's largest non-profit healthcare organization. MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital has grown from a single hospital into MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, which provides

inpatient A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other health ca ...

outpatient A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other health care ...

, and day treatment programs. The network provides more than 350,000 ambulatory visits annually in addition to the hospital's more than 2,200 inpatient admissions. Since its inception, MedStar NRH has admitted in excess of 35,000 inpatients and provided over 2 million outpatient visits.

History

Edward A. Eckenhoff

Eckenhoff founded the hospital in 1986 and is currently the President Emeritus of MedStar NRH. After suffering a spinal cord injury which left him paralyzed from the waist down Edward A. Eckenhoff founded the National Rehabilitation Hospital. On February 6, 1986, MedStar NRH opened its doors with 230 staff members and one patient. MedStar NRH soon grew to be one of the most well recognized hospitals in the country. It has hosted guests like Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Queen Sofia of Spain, Bob Dole, and Stevie Wonder. Eckenhoff has also received numerous awards including "Washingtonian of the year" by Washingtonian magazine and was named “Alumnus of the Year” by Washington University School of Medicine. Eckenhoff played a major role in the passing of the

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA () is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 19 ...

with his visits to Capitol Hill and work around the community. MedStar NRH strongly supported Eckenhoff's venture and was a vital part in improving the lives of the disabled. The current president is John Rockwood who adopted the role in October 2010.

Reputation and Accreditation

Ranking

Physicians nationwide consistently rank MedStar NRH among “America’s Best Hospitals,” as reported by '' U.S. News & World Report''. Since 1990, MedStar NRH has been consistently listed in the annual ranking as one of the nation's best hospitals for physical rehabilitation. Ranked #3 in Washington D.C. in 2012 overall, and #1 in DC for Rehabilitation. http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/rehabilitation?page=2 In 2003, MedStar NRH achieved a high reputation score of 11.2. MedStar NRH is fully accredited by both the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

JCAHO The Joint Commission is a United States-based nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c) organization that accredits more than 22,000 US health care organizations and programs. The international branch accredits medical services from around the world. A majorit ...

, and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities CARF, earning an impressive fourteen CARF commendations in the 2007 accreditation survey. CARF is a private, not-for-profit organization that promotes quality rehabilitation services. Their standards are reviewed annually and new ones are developed to keep pace with changing conditions and current consumer needs. NRH has received a three-year accreditation from CARF, and its

Spinal Cord Injury A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that causes temporary or permanent changes in its function. Symptoms may include loss of muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in the parts of the body served by the spinal cor ...

Stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

and Brain Injury programs are the regions only CARF accredited specialty programs.

Types of Specialty Care: Inpatient, Outpatient, and Day Treatment

MedStar NRH's board-certified physicians,

neuropsychologists Neuropsychology is a branch of psychology concerned with how a person's cognition and behavior are related to the brain and the rest of the nervous system. Professionals in this branch of psychology often focus on how injuries or illnesses of ...

physical therapists Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient ...

occupational therapists Occupational therapists (OTs) are health care professionals specializing in occupational therapy and occupational science. OTs and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) use scientific bases and a holistic perspective to promote a person's abilit ...

, speech-language pathologists,

psychologists A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how indi ...

vocational rehabilitation counselors The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...

, and other clinicians work in teams to meet the needs of patients with a wide range of

, and

conditions. MedStar NRH provides highly specialized acute inpatient rehabilitative care at its Washington, D.C., location on a campus adjacent to its

sister hospital, the

MedStar Washington Hospital Center MedStar Washington Hospital Center is the largest private hospital in Washington, D.C. A member of MedStar Health, the not-for-profit Hospital Center is licensed for 926 beds. Health services in primary, secondary and tertiary care are offered t ...

. NRH works in partnership not only with the MedStar Washington Hospital Center, but also with a number of other leading acute care facilities throughout the region. Acute rehab begins at onset of injury and illness, and continues after hospitalization through the NRH Rehabilitation Network – with over 50 outpatient sites located throughout the Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland region. (See https://web.archive.org/web/20121205130915/http://www.medstarnrh.org/Locations/default.aspx for a list of outpatient locations.) In addition, for those needing more intense therapy following hospitalization, MedStar NRH offers unique Day Treatment programs for stroke, brain and spinal cord injury, which provide continued comprehensive care to maximize potential for recovery.

Vocational Care

Meant for patients who have occurred a brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, amputation, and burns. This program has also been accredited for treating motion disorders,

, chronic pain syndromes, cardiac disorders, and other neurologic conditions. There are both inpatient and outpatient services available with each staff member certified in rehabilitation counseling (CRC).

Spinal Cord Injury

More than 200 spinal cord injured patients come to MedStar NRH each year for treatment. Some injuries MedStar NRH encounters are

spinal cord disease Myelopathy describes any neurologic deficit related to the spinal cord. The most common form of myelopathy in humans, '' cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM)'', also called ''degenerative cervical myelopathy'', results from narrowing of the spina ...

spinal stenosis Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen that results in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs. Symptoms are typically gradual in on ...

, postoperative spinal surgery, and

Guillain Barre syndrome Guillain may refer to: People * Georges Guillain (1876–1961), French neurologist * Gilles Guillain (born 1982), Colombian-born French actor * Robert Guillain (1908–1998), French journalist and author of several books on Japan Medical * ...

. Emphasis is on the prevention of primary and secondary conditions and on the patients’ participation. The Seating and Mobility Clinic offers evaluations for patients wheeled mobility needs based on functional strength, range of motion, postural alignment, and skin integrity. MedStar NRH was also one of the first hospitals in the country to use the Lokomat. This provides body weight support for gait training.

Brain Injury

Faculty provides care for thousands suffering from mild to traumatic brain injuries. The concussion clinic at Medstar NRH focuses primarily on this form of brain injury and is regarded as one of the best in the country, according to ''U.S. News & World Report''. 75 percent of all traumatic brain injuries that occur are concussions. Traumatic brain injuries contribute to a third of all deaths in the United States with over 1.5 million brain injuries occurring each year. During their stay, patients are also educated on precautions they can take to prevent a future incidence.

Stroke

Treat inpatient and outpatient stroke victims. With over 800,000 stroke victims each year, MedStar NRH has developed one of the largest stroke programs in the region. Over 600 stroke patients are cared for each year at MedStar NRH with 96 percent being able to return home within 90 days. The stroke recovery program aims to offer stroke comprehensive inpatient, day treatment, and outpatient rehabilitation that are tailored to each patient's needs and abilities.

Gala Victory Awards®

Created when the hospital opened in 1986, the Victory Awards honor individuals who have overcome physical adversity and inspired others. Awards have been given out to people from many different areas such as art, entertainment, sports, and politics. This event also raises money to advance treatments and the hospital.

Past Winners

25th Anniversary

In 2011, MedStar NRH celebrated their 25th anniversary with their annual Gala Victory Award's in which they recognized several key contributors to the advancement of rehab. MedStar NRH has been accredited by

The Joint Commission The Joint Commission is a United States-based nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c) organization that accredits more than 22,000 US health care organizations and programs. The international branch accredits medical services from around the world. A majorit ...

and CARF as one of the most reliable rehabilitation hospitals in the country. They are the

Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) is an international, non-profit organization founded in 1966 with the assistance of Mary E. Switzer, then U.S. Social and Rehabilitation Services commissioner. For some institutio ...

. CARF Accredited Medstar NRH with Specialty Programs in Stroke Recovery, Spinal Cord Injury and Brain Injury. Being a non-profit organization, the team at MedStar NRH uses the approach of care that puts the patient first.

Special Programs

CARF Accredited

MedStar NRH's Spinal Cord Program is the area's only

CARF Accredited Specialty Program for Spinal Cord Injury and Disease The acronym CARF can mean multiple things: * Campaign Against Racism and Fascism, a British pressure group * Canadian Amateur Radio Federation *Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitat ...

. The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Promoting Health and Preventing Complications through Exercise is also funded by the NIDRR. The $4 million, 5-year grant allows MedStar NRH to further extend its research and training efforts on secondary conditions in people with SCI. The RRTC is a unique collaborative effort of national leaders in SCI-related research, clinical expertise, support and education organizations, independent living centers, and consumers with SCI.

Recovery Program

The MedStar NRH

Recovery Program is among the largest programs in the country. MedStar NRH patients benefit the area's only CARF Accredited Specialty Program for Strokes. The MedStar NRH

Brain Injury An injury is any physiological damage to living tissue caused by immediate physical stress. An injury can occur intentionally or unintentionally and may be caused by blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, burning, toxic exposure, asphyxiation, or o ...

Program uses repetition to expand on small incremental gains in recovery—to achieve their outcome. The orthopedic programs at MedStar NRH utilize technological

diagnostic Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine " cause and effect". In systems engine ...

and therapeutic equipment to address such issues as arthritis, amputation, joint replacement, and a full range of other orthopedic injuries and conditions. Throughout patients’ rehabilitative experience, MedStar NRH relies upon a number of

assistive technology Assistive technology (AT) is a term for assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and the elderly. Disabled people often have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs) independently, or even with ...

devices that have been developed by MedStar NRH's research team, and which have been used fortheir recovery.

National Center for Children's Rehabilitation (NCCR)

The National Center for Children's Rehabilitation (NCCR) at MedStar NRH addresses an unmet regional need and raises the bar for care of pediatric patients with neurological, orthopedic injuries, and other illnesses. The only center of its kind in the area, the NCCR is a joint service of MedStar NRH and

Children's National Medical Center Children's National Hospital (formerly Children's National Health System, DC Children's Hospital, Children's National Medical Center) is a nationally ranked, freestanding, 323-bed, pediatric acute care children's hospital located in Washington D ...

and offers an innovative approach to children's rehab in a state-of-the-art and secure unit.

Research and technology

Advanced rehabilitation technology such as the Zero/G gait training tool and Alter/G anti-gravity treadmill has earned MedStar NRH the reputation as one of the leading participants in research for rehabilitation technology.

Christoph Ruesch Research Center

The Christoph Ruesch Research Center at MedStar NRH is dedicated to implementing initiatives that probe new rehabilitative interventions to address the health and rehabilitative needs of person with disabilities, and to develop better ways to deliver and pay for these services. There are four unique centers conducting both laboratory and clinical research: the Assistive Technology Research Center, the Center for Post-Acute Studies, the Neuroscience Research Center, and the Center for Applied Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Research. Dozens of studies are underway in the development of improved rehabilitative diagnosis and treatment methods, and technology aimed at improving long-term independence for persons with a variety of disabling conditions. Among these are a unique study to evaluate the value of activity-based rehab and FES,

functional electrical stimulation Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a technique that uses low-energy electrical pulses to artificially generate body movements in individuals who have been paralyzed due to injury to the central nervous system. More specifically, FES can ...

, for spinal cord injury patients, a project to test the value of patient navigation to improve long-term outcomes for stroke and spinal cord patients, and a program to reduce secondary incidents among the capital region's stroke patients.

Four Laboratory and Research Centers

Assistive Technology & Research Center

Uncover new technology that increases the effectiveness of recovery. Also increases a patient's ability to live independently with a disability.

Center for Post-Acute Innovation & Research

Aims to offer guidance on the quality and financing of post-acute rehab.

Neuroscience Research Center

Congress approves 6 million dollars for new neuroscience research center in 2000. This area deals with research related to clinical psychology, speech language therapy, health services, and rehabilitation engineering.

Center for Applied Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Research

Research involving impairments, limitations, and recovery. The center focuses primarily on neurological and musculoskeletal factors.

References

External links

* http://www.medstarhealth.org/default.cfm * http://www.medstarnrh.org * https://web.archive.org/web/20080615195033/http://www.ncscims.org/home/ * http://www.jointcommission.org/ * https://web.archive.org/web/20090624230531/http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/index.html * http://www.sci-health.org {{Hospitals in DC Hospitals in Washington, D.C. Rehabilitation medicine organizations based in the United States Hospital buildings completed in 1986 Hospitals established in 1986 1986 establishments in Washington, D.C. Rehabilitation hospitals