TBI Model System Researchers Publish Position Statement on Disorders of Consciousness in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

TBI Model System researchers recently, in collaboration with the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Evidence and Practice Committee (ACRM EPC), published a position statement, “Minimum competency recommendations for programs that provide rehabilitation services for persons with disorders of consciousness: A position statement of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems,” in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The position statement discusses practice guidelines and minimum competencies of the clinical programs for the treatment and support of individuals with disorders of consciousness. The recommendations fall into several categories: diagnostic and prognostic assessment, treatment, transitioning care/long-term care needs, and management of ethical issues. Authors from the currently-funded TBI Model System centers include: Spaulding-Harvard Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (Joseph Giacino, PhD; and Ross D. Zafonte DO), Moss Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (John Whyte, PhD), Tampa Polytrauma Rehabilitation TBI Model System Center (Risa Nakase-Richardson, PhD), JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute TBI Model System (Brian Greenwald, MD), Indiana University School of Medicine / Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana TBI (Flora Hammond, MD), and Rocky Mountain Regional Brain Injury System (Alan Weintraub, MD). View the article here.

TBI Model Systems Researchers Planned and Participate in the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) 15th Annual Conference (ABI2020)

TBI Model Systems researchers have been critical in the planning of and many will present at the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) 15th Annual Conference (ABI2020). The event will be held February 26-29 in New Orleans, LA. For more information about the conference, view the conference program here.

The following TBI Model System researchers assisted in planning ABI2020:

• Alan Weinstraub, MD, Medical Director for the Rocky Mountain Regional Brain Injury System and Medical Director of the Brain Injury Program at Craig Hospital, will serve as conference chair for the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) 15th Annual Conference (ABI2020). With the theme ‘Best Practices in Brain Injury Medicine and Neurorehabilitation: Improving Outcomes Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration,’ this conference will be the premier educational event for multidisciplinary medical professionals involved in brain injury in North America in 2020. Learn more about this honor here.

• TBI Model System researchers serve on the Educational Planning Committee for the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) 15th Annual Conference (ABI2020). Committee members are from the following currently-funded SCI Model System centers: Indiana University School of Medicine / Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana TBI (Flora Hammond, MD; and Dawn Neumann, PhD), Spaulding-Harvard Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (Joseph Giacino, PhD; and Ross Zafonte, DO), JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (Brian Greenwald, MD), and the Department of Veteran Affairs-funded Tampa Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center (Risa Nakase-Richardson, PhD, FACRM). Learn more about this committee here.

The following TBI Model System Researchers will present at ABI2020:

• Joseph T. Giacino, PhD (Spaulding-Harvard Traumatic Brain Injury Model System) will present, “Disorders of Consciousness: The Implementation of Guideline Recommendations for Interdisciplinary Clinical Rehabilitation Practice: An Interactive Hands-On Course.”

• Ross Zafonte, DO, FACRM (Spaulding-Harvard Traumatic Brain Injury Model System) will present the plenary lecture, “Lessons Learned from the Extremes.”

• Brian Greenwald, MD (JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute Traumatic Brain Injury Model System) will present, “Autonomic and Immunologic Dysfunction following TBI.”

• Dawn Neumann, PhD, FACRM (Indiana University School of Medicine / Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana TBI) will present, “Social Cognitive Impairments-Clinical and Scientific Approaches to Evaluation and Intervention.”

• Dawn Neumann, PhD, FACRM (Indiana University School of Medicine / Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana TBI) will present, “Relations of Social Inferencing Skills after Brain Injury and Attributions of Intent, Hostility, and Blame,” as part of the Accepted Oral Scientific Papers on Cognitive/Language Rehabilitation.

• Investigators from Spaulding-Harvard Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (Joseph T. Giacino, PhD; and Ross Zafonte, DO, FACRM) and Rocky Mountain Regional Brain Injury System (Alan Weintraub, MD) will present “Managing Disorders of Consciousness: Transforming Guidelines into Clinical Practice: Case Presentation Format with Panel of Experts.”

• Anthony Lequerica, PhD (Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System) will present, “Lifetime Exposure to Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurobehavioral Symptoms Among Spanish-speaking Individuals from an International Sample,” as part of the Accepted Oral Scientific Papers on Integration and Lifelong Living.

• Lenore Hawley, MSSW, LCSW (Rocky Mountain Regional Brain Injury System) will present, “Successful Lifelong Living after ABI: Self-Advocacy, Empowerment, and Resource Facilitation.”

• Ross Zafonte, DO, FACRM (Spaulding-Harvard Traumatic Brain Injury Model System) will present, “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: A Clinical and Scientific Update.”

• Alan Weintraub, MD (Rocky Mountain Regional Brain Injury System) will moderate the panel, “Complimentary and/or Alternative ABI Rehabilitation Treatments: Consensus Opinions and Debates on HBO, rTMS, TCDCS, Stem Cell Therapies, and Holistic Supplements. Ross Zafonte, DO, FACRM (Spaulding-Harvard Traumatic Brain Injury Model System) is an expert clinical/research panelists on this panel.