MEET THE TEAM

Leading the medical team and treatment team is a Medical Director, a physician Board Certified in Physical Medicine & Rehab. This Medical Director serves as the primary physician leader accountable for management of the treatment team and medical staff, patient care, quality of care, safety initiatives, and the physician processes.

Rehabilitation physicians coordinate and develop your rehabilitation plan and directly manage your medical care. This may include consulting a physician specialist. Our medical staff includes the following physician roles that work together in an interdisciplinary approach with the treatment team and patient to achieve the desired goals. Physical Medicine & Rehab Physician (Physiatrist)Supporting our Medical Director for the overall rehab care are additional Physiatrists. These physicians specialize in the treatment of medical conditions and injuries that have caused a disability or debilitation to the brain, nerves, spinal cord, bones, joints and muscles. Internal Medicine PhysicianInternal Medicine physicians are a vital part of the treatment team in ensuring that your medical needs are managed. For instance, you may have other medical conditions such as high blood pressure or heart problems that are worsened by the new onset of the debilitating injury or illness. Consulting PhysicianConsulting Physicians may be asked to consult, recommend or treat patients depending on other injuries or circumstances unique to you. Specialists in pulmonary disease, orthopedics, cardiology, gastroenterology are a few examples of types of physicians who may be asked to provide additional consultation when requested by the our Medical Staff.

Nurses provide uniquely specialized care focused on the rehabilitation process to include educating the patient and family in managing the disease process, medication management, adaptive equipment and encouraging the patient to return to the highest level of independence Our rehab nursing team plays several roles in your care at Indianapolis Rehabilitation Hospital. We are proud of our high nurse-to-patient ratio, assuring the very best level of care and attention possible. In addition to caring for your rehab needs, the rehab nurse also cares for your medical needs. A primary role for all rehab nurses is to serve as your advocate, assisting you to adapt and live to the fullest of your ability following your debilitating illness or injury. Rehab nurses collaborate with the rest of the treatment team to create a comprehensive plan of care to achieve your maximum potential. Throughout your journey, the rehab nurse educates not only you, but family and caregivers as well to ensure a triumphant return to living.

Case Managers/Social Worker: This specialist coordinates your inpatient stay from admission to discharge working with insurance companies, you, your family and interdisciplinary team to maximize functional status and return to home or community. The rehabilitation Case Manager works directly with you and your family around decisions that impact your transition to different care settings, including the home, following the inpatient rehabilitation stay. This information and planning include the financial and discharge decision process. Case Managers act as a resource for you and your family members, coordinating many aspects of care that include education, team conferences, communication with insurance companies and discharge planning. They also function as your representative and are available to address any other questions that arise during your rehabilitation stay.

Physical Therapists work to improve your movement and mobility, including walking, strengthening, endurance and manage pain. Physical therapy may include working with assistive devices such as wheelchairs, canes, or orthotic/prosthetic devices. Our Physical Therapists (PTs) focus on strength and mobility training as well as your overall fitness. Often, a medical event or major traumatic injury leaves muscles atrophied and weak, resulting in your inability to perform simple tasks such as sitting, standing, or walking. Your Physical Therapist’s goal is to restore the basic function required for successful, independent daily living. PTs use a variety of disciplines and treatments such as exercise, mobility techniques, hands-on-care, pain management, stimulation and assistive technology devices depending on the illness or severity of your injury.

The role of the Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP) is to assist patient with cognitive issues related to illness, address any articulation or speech deficit. This may include assessment and treatment of any swallowing disorder Speech Therapists care for you when serious events have impaired speech, language or cognitive ability. SLPs treat you in relearning how to use your muscles and skills to be able to think and verbally communicate effectively. Words such as aphasia (difficulty communicating/understanding verbally and/or written), apraxia (difficulty carrying out commands) dysarthia (difficulty articulating words-slurred speech) may have been mentioned to you by your physician. As an example, a stroke patient may struggle with dysarthia from the weakness in their facial and vocal muscles. Cognitive retraining strategies Speech Therapists may use and teach include speaking more slowly, practicing words over and over to strengthen the vocal muscle, demonstrating mouth movements with the patient, and reading aloud.

Occupational Therapists (OTs) treat injured, ill, or disabled patients to regain function of normal daily activities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities with modification techniques. Our OTs focus on assisting you in regaining your ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) including dressing, bathing, eating and other self-care. They help you recover, develop, improve, and maintain the skills needed for daily activities and work within the home, work, school and community environments, preparing you for discharge from the IRF. Examples of typical activity focus and modification may include: Bathing and getting dressed Laundry and housekeeping Helping adults prevent falls in their homes and public places Eating without help from others Enjoying leisure activities Improving balance, building muscle strength, adapting to memory and speech challenges Organizing medications Performing work tasks on computers, ipads and smartphones

Nutitional counceling will be provided by a registered dietician. They will make recommendation on diet and how it relates to disease process to maximize nutritional status. The Dietician plays a significant role in the success of the rehab therapy. If you have altered nutrition status due to inability to consume nutritious food, or even swallow, these situations can result in poor muscle mass and challenging or incomplete therapy sessions. Our dieticians work with you and the Speech Therapist as needed to ensure that patients are consuming appropriate and adequate nutrition. This provides the sustenance needed to actively participate in the strenuous and intense daily therapy required, achieve and maintain optimal health.

Rehabilitation Techs are rehabilitation professionals who assist nursing and therapy staff with daily medical care and therapeutic interventions. They provide an additional support for you, increasing the staff available to care for you. This added level of support ensures that you always receive the care and attention you need.