NRH Today - Winter 2012

NRH Today • Winter 2012 1

NRH

A Medstar National Rehabilitation Network Publication

TodayWinter 2012

25th Anniversary Gala Victory Awards® >>Page 4

Also inside:

New Name, Same

Top Rehab Care

>>Page 2

Getting a Good

Night’s Sleep

>>Page 3

Cancer Rehabilitation

Enhances Survival

>>Page 8

New Interventional

Spine Clinic Treats

Chronic Pain

>>Page 11

Gala Victory Awards Host JR Martinez

2 MedStar National Rehabilitation Network

John D. Rockwood

What’s in a name? For a health care organization like ours, a name should identify

the qualities it encompasses—and the promise it makes to the community. For more

than 25 years, the National Rehabilitation Hospital and the NRH Medical Rehabilitation

Network have stood for the most advanced rehabilitative care available anywhere,

the best experts, the most comprehensive services, and internationally recognized

cutting-edge research.

But we have always been something else, as well—a proud member of the region’s

leading health care system, MedStar Health. In February, our name became

MedStar National Rehabilitation Network to demonstrate this unique relationship.

We’ve been part of MedStar Health for more than 12 years, and were a founding member of its precursor, Medlantic Healthcare Group. Today, MedStar has nine member hospitals stretching from Northern Baltimore County to Southern Maryland, as well as a number of other health care service components from home care to research.

The name change represents today’s changing health care environment in which integrated care delivery has become increasingly important. In the type of health care system that MedStar has pioneered, patients benefit from coordinated care across settings, and improved access to a variety of services at convenient locations. This type of comprehensive care delivered within a single system is helping to curb costs, promote efficiency and improve patient outcomes.

Our new brand name reinforces this pio-neering concept of care delivery and the breadth of providers, specialists, services, expertise and technology that MedStar Health represents—27,000 team members, almost 6,000 affiliated physicians, and more than 100 community locations.

The MedStar NRH Network is an important part of that system of care—we’ve been

developing our network of rehabilitative inpatient, day treatment and outpatient services for more than 15 years. And we have developed many important partner-ships with our MedStar sister hospitals and other health care organizations that have helped us extend our geographic reach and expand our research and training programs.

Now more than ever before, we will be harnessing the power of MedStar to develop collaborations to streamline delivery of clinical care, expand access to services, enrich our professional training programs and foster research partnerships to increase our understanding of disabling illness and injury.

Change has always been critical in health care, and we have always embraced change and encouraged a spirit of innovation that has helped us reshape rehabilitative care. Of course, what will never change is our commitment to patient centered care. We will remain true to the values expressed by our founders more than 25 years ago: We will continue to be an environment that fosters an engaged and caring team and that promotes the fullest possible recovery for our patients.

Embracing ChangePresident’s Message

“In February our name became MedStar National Rehabilitation Network… It reflects our proud membership in MedStar Health, the region’s most comprehensive health care system.”

Embracing Change

No matter the cause, insomnia can take a serious toll on our lives. “Sleep is critical because while we sleep, we consolidate what we experience during the day,” he says. “It’s when our brains imprint infor-mation and memories. Sleep is also the time our bodies repair and regenerate tissues and build bone and muscle. Without enough sleep, people may have cognitive deficits, impaired concentration and problems functioning day-to-day,” Dr. Schlosberg adds.

There are also several different forms of insomnia, he explains. “Some people have difficulty falling asleep, others can’t stay asleep and suffer from early morning awakening.”

Clean-Up Your Sleep Hygiene

If you simply suffer occasional insomnia, Dr. Schlosberg says improving “sleep hygiene” will probably solve the problem. “Sleep hygiene is our bedtime routine,” he says. “With our stressed lives and multitasking, bedtime routines have disappeared. Bedrooms have become multi-function rooms—where we eat, watch TV, and prop our computers on our laps. But with some simple changes, we can retrain our brains and promote sleep.”

Dr. Schlosberg offers these tips:

n The bedroom is just for sleeping and intimacy. That means no TV, computers, or other electronic devices in the room.

n Avoid exercise, heavy meals, tobacco, and caffeine hours before bed.

n Set a regular sleep and awakening time.

n Don’t watch the clock—turn it away so you can’t see it from bed.

n Start a journal. Every day write down your worries so you won’t review them repeatedly as you try to fall asleep.

n If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, leave the bedroom. Engage in simple activity, such as reading. When you begin to feel drowsy, go back to bed and try again.

n Sometimes cognitive behavioral therapy can help determine what may be causing your insomnia, and resolve it.

A Sleep Study

Chronic insomnia, however, calls for a trip to your doctor. Because a number of illnesses from kidney disease to depression can cause insomnia, people should visit their primary care physician for diagnosis and treatment. But when a cause can’t be identified, patients should be referred to a sleep specialist.

“That’s when a sleep study is very beneficial,” Dr. Schlosberg says. The busy six-bed MedStar NRH Sleep Center is one of only three accredited sleep labs in the District, which means it has met an arduous set of standards for quality patient care.

“At the Sleep Center, we use sleep studies to help diagnose sleep apnea, as well as the less common narcolepsy, which causes frequent sleep attacks during the day,” he explains.

Sleep apnea affects an estimated 18 million Americans—and many of them go undiagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type— it can cause patients to wake up dozens of times a night, gasping for air. “Patients may not even be aware that they are waking,” he adds. “But because snoring is the most common symptom of apnea—it’s often the patients’ sleep partner that notices the problem.”

In sleep apnea, the airway in the throat becomes blocked and patients’ breath-ing literally stops for several seconds.

Oxygen levels in the blood fall, and that can lead to many problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. “It can be a very serious illness, so it’s important that patients are diagnosed and treated.”

During a sleep study, technicians place painless sensors on patients’ skin while they sleep, and monitor them overnight, measur-ing leg movements, blood oxygen levels, eye movement, airflow and brain activity.

“More often than not, this helps us make a definitive diagnosis,” says Dr. Schlosberg. “For patients with confirmed apnea, the most common treatment is CPAP (Continu-ous Positive Airway Pressure). While they sleep, patients wear a simple facemask attached to a device that releases a steady stream of air to keep passages open.

“When a patient’s apnea appears to be the result of excessive weight we refer them to their primary care physician for dietary advice. For other patients, medication may be the answer.”

Whatever the reason for insomnia, don’t suffer in silence, Dr. Schlosberg advises. “Tell your doctor. There are many effective treatments to help you get a good night’s sleep.”

To schedule a consultation or diagnostic testing, contact the MedStar NRH Sleep Center at 202-877-1683.


Finally, Rest for the Weary! Adding Life to Years® — Helping You Get and Stay Healthy

Each night thousands of men and women turn off the lights, get into bed and

wait for the sweet relief of sleep that doesn’t come. More than 30 percent of

adults in the U.S. suffer symptoms of insomnia at some point in their lives.

“Fortunately for most people, insomnia is simply an occasional problem that

doesn’t require medical treatment,” explains Marc F. Schlosberg, MD, a neurologist

at the MedStar NRH Sleep Center. “But when insomnia lasts for three months or

more, it’s a chronic illness that requires a closer look.”

Patients stay in the Sleep Lab’s hotel-like accommodations for their sleep studies.

Guests were charmed by the wit and repartee of JR Martinez, who served as host for the evening. Martinez is the

most recent winner of ABC’s popular pro-gram Dancing with the Stars, who with his partner Karina Smirnoff won the coveted “mirror ball” trophy last fall. He is also an Iraq war veteran who was just 19 in 2003 when the Humvee he was driving hit a landmine and exploded. Martinez suf-fered burns over 40 percent of his body, but has gone on to become a very suc-cessful motivational speaker and actor. His own life demonstrates the strength of the human spirit to overcome adversity and he set the stage for the exciting evening of celebration and inspiration.

Guests, dignitaries and honorees walked the red carpet at the black-tie event, held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in a grand ballroom bursting with happy celebrants.

The event brought together hundreds of old and new friends of the hospital, which opened its doors to admit the first patient on February 6, 1986. From that single patient and single facility, MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital has grown into one nation’s most respected rehabilitation networks with inpatient services, day treatment and outpatient care at more than 30 locations.

The evening’s festivities got underway with a cocktail reception, where guests were entertained by the Feels So Good Band, made up of talented musician-physicians from the MedStar NRH Network and MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

As guests gathered for a four course sit-down dinner, a live auction got underway with brisk bidding as Auctioneer Kip Toner rallied the crowd to open their wallets for a stunning array of items. The auction raised close to $100,000 in 45 minutes. Auction items included a walk-on role on the CBS-TV hit CSI: Crime Scene Investi-gation; a six-day African photo safari at a private game preserve; a 10-day holiday

in a private cottage in Ireland; a week in a villa in Tuscany; a week for two at the Half Moon Resort in Jamaica; and a five-day vacation at the six-star Ritz-Carlton at Phulay Bay, Thailand.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Victory Awards to five exemplary people who embody the Victory of the Human Spirit over adversity. Each honoree faced a difficult physical challenge, but had the courage to move forward to live happy and successful lives: NRH Founder and first CEO and President Edward Eckenhoff, international opera star Marquita Lister, legendary country singer Mickey Gilley, actor Robert David Hall, and snowboarder Kevin Pearce. [Read their stories on page 6 of this issue of NRH Today.]

Guests were also entertained by knock-out performances by Grammy award winners singer Yolanda Adams and violinist Mark O’Connor.

Watch the 25th Anniversary video at nrhrehab.org/anniversaryvideo.

More than 800 people gathered on December 1, 2011, for a glittering evening of celebration at the

25th Anniversary Gala Victory Awards®, which honored five extraordinary people and culminated a

year of activities to mark the first quarter century of the MedStar National Rehabilitation Network.

A Gala Evening!—Friends of NRH Celebrate a Quarter Century of Adding Life to Years®


All proceeds from the 25th Anniversary Gala Victory Awards® support MedStar NRH Network’s 25th Anniversary Capital Campaign: Built to Last –a five-year, $25 million fundraising effort to propel Med-Star NRH into its next quarter century.

Campaign funds will help build a signifi-cant addition to the hospital, allowing MedStar NRH to:

n Develop new initiatives such as the National Center for Brain Injury and

Stroke Rehabilitation & Research, a state-of-the-art facility to establish MedStar NRH as the premier provider of brain injury and stroke rehabilita-tion, as well as a leader in neurosci-ence research.

n Endow new training fellowships to at-tract the brightest physicians in Brain Injury, Pediatric Rehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injury, Interventional Pain and Sports Medicine.

n Create an Opportunity Fund to allow MedStar NRH to take advantage of opportunities as they arise, including investing in the latest technology.

n Expand outpatient services at the hospital, and allow the hospital to convert to all private rooms.

To learn more, contact the Philanthropy Office at 202-877-1776.

Built to Last: The NRH 25th Anniversary Capital Campaign


Violinist Mark O’Connor set the tone with his fast fiddling

The glittering ballroom of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel awaits guests.

Grammy-Winning Singer Yolanda Adams wowed

the crowd.

Doro Bush Koch presents to Mickey Gilley.

Edward Eckenhoff receives congratulations

for his Victory Award from the MedStar NRH

Network Board Chairman Tom Collamore (center) and John D. Rockwood,

President (right).

Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., presented his nephew Kevin Pearce with his Victory Award.

Victory Award® Honorees

Edward A. Eckenhoff—Eckenhoff is the founder and former President and CEO of MedStar NRH, who now serves as its President Emeritus. When he was still in college, Eckenhoff suffered a serious injury in a car accident that left him with paraplegia. But Eckenhoff never let this physical challenge impede his life. Instead, he has devoted his life to helping people with disabilities. He founded the hospital, overseeing its development, construction and opening in 1986. For more than two decades, he led Team Members and the Board in the development of the MedStar NRH network of comprehensive post-acute care services, which today has an international reputation for clinical care, education, research, advocacy and assistive technology.

Mickey Gilley—Gilley is a legendary country music singer who has racked up 17 number one hits, and earned several Gold Records and a Grammy. In 2009, Gilley suffered paralysis from an accidental fall while helping a friend move some furniture. After some intensive physical therapy, Gilley is back on stage singing again. The Mississippi native, whose cousin is legendary rockabilly singer Jerry Lee Lewis, once worked construction jobs by day and sang at night to support himself before his career took off. In 1971, he opened Gilley’s in Branson, Missouri, known as the world’s largest honky-tonk.

Robert David Hall—American actor Hall plays the chief medical examiner Dr. Albert Robbins on one of the country’s most popular dramas, CBS-TV’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Hall was involved in a serious car accident in 1978 when a tractor-trailer crushed his car. As a result, he lost both legs and suffered burns over 65 percent of his body. A devoted community activist, Hall is one of the most prominent disabled actors working today. He serves on the Board of Directors of the National Organization on Disability and is National Chairman of the Performers with Disabilities Caucus for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and Actors’ EQUITY.

Marquita Lister—An international opera sensation, Lister’s soprano voice and dramatic interpretation of a variety of roles has earned worldwide critical praise for the past two decades. In 2006, she became critically ill with inflammation of the lungs and muscles. After her acute hospitalization, she came to MedStar NRH for rehabilitation and fought hard to make a remarkable recovery. Her fans are thrilled that her beautiful singing voice was unaffected and that Lister returned to the stage, delighting audiences wherever she goes. Her vast repertoire includes the works of Verdi, Puccini, Gershwin and Strauss, and Lister continues to appear in the most prestigious opera houses around the world with some of the world’s great opera stars including Placido Domingo.

Kevin Pearce—Pearce is a highly accomplished U.S. snowboarder and four-time Winter X Games medalist. In 2005 at just 18, Pearce catapulted onto the professional snowboarding stage, quickly becoming the athlete to watch. In the 2009 Winter X Games, Pearce brought home the Silver Medal for Superpipe, making him the front-runner to win Gold in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. However, in late 2009, less than two months from the start of the winter games, Pearce sustained a traumatic brain injury when he crashed during a training run in Park City, Utah. Pearce spent two months in rehabilitation and has since made great strides in his recovery. Today, he is analyzing snowboarding from the broadcast booth, and is back on the snow, as well.


Gala Presenting Sponsor GEICO

Official Airline United Airlines

Live Auction Sponsor MedStar Health, Inc.

Program Sponsor U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Victory Award Sponsors American Hospital AssociationDavid and Katherine BradleyMed3000Morrison Health CareReyes Holdings, LLCRuesch Family Foundation

Preferred Table Sponsors Bank of America Merrill LynchCenter Radiology, P.C.Elizabeth Chabner Thompson,

MD, MPHCharles and Christiana ChiangChildren’s National Medical

CenterDaniel and Rachel CohenRafael J. Convit, MDThe Hon. Carol Crawford and

Ronald CrawfordCrothall Healthcare, Inc.Leonard A. and Linda K.

Greenberg Charitable Foundation

Gary GreenfieldJoel & Carol Jankowsky

Foundation

Daniel Korengold and Martha Dippell

KPMGWilliam LaneWillie and Norma LeftwichGeorge and Thene MernickStephen MooneyNauticonMedStar NRH Medical StaffPatton Boggs, LLPRolyn CompaniesAnnie TotahCharles and Sheila Wagner

Table Sponsors Beveridge Seay, Inc.Colex & AssociatesFrancis and Julia CreightonPeter and Jeremy FitzGerald

Dr. and Mrs. E. Claiborne IrbyDion Johnson FoundationTreazure JohnsonAnn MalcolmRobert and Deborah OurismanPowers Pyles Sutter & Verville, P.C.SmithGroupAndrew and Candace SomervilleJames StearnsVenable, LLPJay and Robin WeissMichael Yochelson, MD, and

Guy Parker

Gala Sponsors


Host JR Martinez set the tone for the Gala event

Above: Board Member Charles Wagner and his wife Sheila enjoy the evening.

Below: Robert Hartmann, VP for marketing and strategic development, with Honorary Gala Host Colleen Evans, recipient of the Board of Director’s Community Award for her service to MedStar NRH.

Ken Samet, President and CEO of MedStar Health, and wife Stacey celebrate.

Peter Thomas (left) and MedStar NRH Network Board Vice Chair James Reyes.


Jones had a rare form of breast cancer called triple

negative. “The surgeon made it clear to me that there was no time to waste.” A grueling treatment regimen got underway almost immediately. She spent the summer of 2009 tethered to an IV for eight rounds of chemotherapy. Then she had a lumpec-tomy, followed by weeks of radiation therapy after the surgery. But before radiation began, Jones met with Curtis Whitehair, MD, director of Cancer Reha-bilitation for the MedStar NRH Network.

Rehabilitation: The Earlier the Better

Consultation with a MedStar NRH physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist is becoming part of the routine evaluation for patients cared for at the MedStar Washington Cancer Institute, part of MedStar Washington Hospital Center. This is the leading edge in cancer care— a holistic approach that looks beyond effective treatment to helping foster quality of life during and after therapy.

While cancer therapies have become increasingly effective in the last decade, too often the disease or the cancer treat-ment itself causes an array of functional complications that affect the quality of those lives saved. With more than 11 million cancer survivors in the U.S., cancer rehabilitation is becoming increasingly im-portant. It is a relatively new subspecialty, and MedStar NRH is one of just a few hospitals in the region offering a compre-hensive cancer rehabilitation service.

“We understand that with early intervention, we can really minimize these negative side effects,” says Dr. Whitehair. “That’s why at MedStar NRH, we have developed

a model of care that integrates cancer rehabilitation into every patient’s treatment plan from the very onset of care. We’re looking at the big picture—to not simply save lives, but to help patients regain control over their lives.”

Control was just what Jones was after. “My mind set was the cancer wasn’t going to change my life. It was an interruption, but I would not let it redefine me.”

Jones’s first appointment with Dr. Whitehair set the stage for what she calls her “em-powerment” over cancer. “During that first evaluation, we took a baseline measure-ment of her arm in order to monitor for lymphedema,” Dr. Whitehair says.

Lymphedema is a side effect that can occur after surgeons remove lymph nodes during breast surgery, or because of radiation treatments. Lymph fluid can build up causing swelling in the arm. With a careful examination and measurement of a patient’s arms before and after surgery or with new diagnostic tools utilizing bioimpedance, physicians can make a lymphedema diagnosis even before visual swelling occurs. “And then we can begin therapy immediately to prevent it from worsening,” says Dr. Whitehair.

Lymphedema is just one of a number of problems that cancer patients can experience. “Fatigue is the number one side effect of treatment,” says Eric Wisotzky, MD, associate director of cancer rehabilitation at MedStar NRH. “The disease and therapy can sap patients’ energy. Radiation-induced fibrosis is another troubling problem. This is nerve and soft tissue damage from radiation that can cause weakness, muscle spasms, nerve pain, headaches and joint deformi-ties,” he adds. “But there is no reason for people to accept these limitations.

We know we can prevent or minimize them with rehabilitation.”

Team Approach to Care

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physicians lead the MedStar NRH multi-disciplinary cancer rehabilitation team, which includes physical and occupa-tional therapists, speech pathologists and psychologists. They work together to tailor therapeutic plans to meet patients’ unique needs. Plans may include all the traditional interventions, as well as advanced medical treatments and rehabilitation technology.

“No one treatment fits all patients,” says Dr. Whitehair. “We evaluate each patient carefully and develop a plan of care that may be as simple as exercise or include physical and occupational therapy. The complete range of assistive devices, orthotics and prosthetics are also avail-able to patients. If these measures don’t provide complete relief, patients can potentially benefit from medications or injections.”

“For some patients, botulinum toxin, more commonly known as botox injections, can be used to decrease pain and improve

NRH Cancer Rehabilitation ProgramEnhancing Survival, Improving Quality of Life

Vonda Jones performed a breast self-exam conscientiously once

a month for years. When she felt something “odd” and it became

bigger and harder over time, she called her doctor. “She told me

it was concerning, and less than a week later, I had a mammogram

and a sonogram. A day or two after that, I had a biopsy,”

she says. “Two weeks after my mammogram, I was sitting

in my surgeon’s office in shock.”

Cancer Survivor Vonda Jones

Bioimpedance can diagnose lymphedema even before swelling occurs.


range of motion, especially in patients who have had radiation therapy for head and neck cancer,” says Dr. Wisotzky. “We also use electromyography to pinpoint the source and severity of nerve damage from surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. And we work with patients’ oncologists to make changes during therapy that will eliminate or minimize these problems.

“There is also no time limit for cancer re-habilitation,” he explains. “We see adults who are suffering from the late effects of childhood cancer and treatments. They often believe they just have to learn to live with these problems, but we know that simply isn’t true.”

Life’s ‘Do-Over’

When Jones returned to the hospital fol-lowing radiation therapy, she was having problems moving her arm and suffering from fatigue. “Radiation to the area under the arm actually burns the skin,” says Dr. Whitehair. “Patients tend to hold their arm still, which tightens muscles and ligaments, and causes what is called ‘frozen shoulder,’” he adds. “For Vonda, physical therapy was prescribed to improve range of motion. She was also fitted with a compression sleeve to minimize any swelling that might occur from lymphedema in her arm.”

“I saw MedStar NRH Physical Therapist Yvonne Francis for six weeks,” says Jones. “She really understood the process and helped me get back to a feeling of normalcy.” The exercises prevented lymphedema from ever occurring, and

helped Jones feel energized. “I consider my physical therapy as the way I got a ‘do-over’ in life, to get to the new and improved me!’ she adds.

Perhaps the most important part of therapy was Dr. Whitehair’s order to Jones to “get moving.” Exercise is among the most effective ways to fight fatigue and pain, he explains. “I tell patients to buy a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day. It helps improve strength and endurance. It can even help patients who are dealing with ‘chemo fog,’ the kind of forgetfulness that chemotherapy sometimes causes.”

Jones took Dr. Whitehair’s advice to heart. Despite some peripheral neuropathy—nagging numbness and tingling in her toes and feet caused by chemotherapy—Jones was determined to set a walking goal for herself. She reached her target by trekking a 5-mile walk loop that includes crossing the Wilson Bridge from National Harbor and back. “Without Dr. Whitehair and the therapists, I never would be able to do that. For me, rehab at MedStar NRH was the upside of going through treatment.”

To learn more about the MedStar NRH Cancer Rehabilitation Program or to make an appointment for an evaluation, call 202-877-1152.

“I consider my physical therapy as the way I got a ‘do-over’ in life, to get to the new and improved me!”

Vonda Jones

Vonda Jones (right) was determined to set a walking goal for herself, and she reached her target by trekking a 5-mile walk loop crossing the Wilson Bridge from National Harbor and back with her friend LaTanya Sothern. Regular exer-cise was an important part of her cancer rehabilitation program. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

Dr. Curtis Whitehair, director of the MedStar NRH Network Cancer Rehabilitation Program (top), and Dr. Eric Wisotzky, associate director.

Join us for two upcoming special events to celebrate able-bodied and physically challenged athletes! Sunday, June 24, 2012: Celebrating Heroes Triathlon, a special sprint triathlon in the rolling hills of Howard County, Md., and benefitting MedStar NRH. Sunday, September 23, 2012: Super H 5K Run, Walk & Wheel in McLean, Va., at the Sport & Health Club.

To learn more and to register online, go to nrhrehab.org.

Save the Date:

Super H 5K Run, Walk & Wheel More than 300 people gathered in late September at the Sport and Health Club

in McLean, Virginia, to run, walk or roll in the 8th Annual Super H 5K Run, Walk

& Wheel. The race has raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars since 2004

to benefit MedStar National Rehabilitation Network’s adaptive sports program

for children and adults with disabilities.

The first-ever Super H 5K Run was organized in 2004 by the wife, children and friends of Harry Freedman, an accomplished athlete who lost his left leg in a worksite accident. The purpose of the first race was to outfit Freedman with a state-of-the-art sport prosthetic leg. In just a few short years, the event has gained regional attention and has grown into a competitive event attracting a diverse group of runners, walkers, hand cyclists, moms pushing strollers and athletes punching the rims of sleek, aerodynamic racing wheelchairs.

Funds raised by the event now support MedStar NRH’s adaptive sports teams, allowing them to host regular clinics to open the world of sports to individuals with disabilities, and provides support for the MedStar NRH Paralympic Program for wounded veterans located at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and supported by the United States Olympic Committee.

Henry “Super H“ Freedman

Let’s Celebrate Heroes Together!Please join MedStar NRH on July 24 for the 2012 Celebrating Heroes Triathlon,

an inspirational sprint triathlon celebrating both able-bodied and challenged

athletes. All proceeds from the event will benefit the MedStar NRH Network.

The race takes place in the rolling countryside of scenic Howard County, Md., and includes a .62 mile swim, 17.5 mile bike race, and 3.4 mile run.

We are also asking people to inspire others by sharing their stories. Tell us why you compete, how the challenge has helped you overcome an obstacle, or helped you to promote a cause close to your heart. Email your story to [email protected].

What: Celebrating Heroes TriathlonWhen: Sunday, June 24, 2012, 7 amWhere: Centennial Lake, 10000 Clarksville Pike,

Ellicott City, Md. 21043

To learn more and to register for the race or training boot camps online, visit www.tricolumbia.org/.


Precision Diagnosis

“As rehabilitation medical specialists, our focus is on improving patients’ daily functioning. We take a holistic approach to care and use a variety of both comple-mentary and traditional medical interven-tions to help improve patients’ physical and emotional well being,” he says.

Dr. DeLuigi and Rehabilitation Medicine Physician Victor Ibrahim, MD, work with an interdisciplinary team that includes physical and occupational therapists. The center is equipped with the most advanced diagnostic and treatment tools, including dynamic ultrasound and electrodiagnostic evaluation.

“We perform ultrasound while patients are in motion to help visualize muscle or nerve inflammation, or stenosis—narrow-ing of nerves that can cause tingling and numbness. We also use electromyography to record electrical activity in muscles and Nerve Conduction Studies to determine if a nerve is functioning normally,” says Dr. DeLuigi. “These tools and patients’ medical and social histories help us develop the most effective individualized care plan.”

Non-Surgical Pain Relief

The team uses a variety of therapeutic options alone or in combination. “While medication is sometimes employed, it may only mask the real cause,” says Dr. Ibrahim. “We want to alleviate pain by finding and treating its source.”

Among the treatment options available at the Interventional Spine Center are:

n Ultrasound-guided needle injections of anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications

There’s no escaping it: Most people will suffer nagging back pain at some point

in their lives. It’s the most common health complaint in the U.S., costing millions

of dollars in lost workdays annually. Now the newly developed MedStar NRH

Network’s Interventional Spine Center is using precision diagnostics and non-

surgical therapies to provide some real relief.


New MedStar NRH Network Outpatient Program Tackles Chronic Back Pain

n Cervical (neck) and lumbar epidural injections to administer anti-inflamma-tory medication

n Nerve blocks: x-ray imaging-guided injection of anesthetic or anti-inflam-matory medication targeting a nerve or group of nerves

n Cervical, thoracic and lumbar joint injections for treatment of pain that radiates, such as sciatica

n Botox toxin injections to relax muscle spasms

n Pain medications including NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, and nerve pain medications

n Osteopathic manipulation

n Detailed exercise prescriptions

n Physical and occupational therapy

“We believe that the best therapy is the least aggressive that will provide patients the most relief,” says Dr. DeLuigi.

“And every treatment is targeted to helping patients’ reach their own personal goal whether this is to return to work, or to compete in a marathon!” Dr. Ibrahim adds.

For information or to make an appointment for an evaluation, call 202-877-1621.

Sports Medicine Expert Dr. Jason DeLuigi (left) and Rehabilitation Medicine Specialist Dr. Victor Ibrahim lead the new MedStar Interventional Spine Center.

“By the time we’re 30 years old, 30 percent of us will have some disc degeneration,” explains Jason DeLuigi, DO, director of the Spine Center. A disc is the cushion that sits in between the bones in the vertebra. Over time, they can wear out or protrude, pressing against nerves and causing local pain, and sometimes pain that travels down the leg or arm.

While aging discs are the source of many “aching backs,” they aren’t the only culprit. “There are lots of causes of chronic back and neck pain, everything from arthritis and sports injury to poor posture,” says Dr. DeLuigi.

“Very often, back pain is the result of multiple issues,” he adds. “That’s why we focus on getting the big picture by understanding patients’ day-to-day lives, as well as their medical histories. Every patient receives a thorough evaluation so that we can pinpoint the causes of pain. The more specific our diagnosis, the more effective the treatment.”

Super H 5K Run, Walk & Wheel

Precise diagnosis using imaging tools help pinpoint the source of pain.

MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital 102 Irving Street NWWashington, D.C. 20010-2949202.877.4NRHnrhrehab.org

Thomas J. Collamore, Chairman, Board of Directors John D. Rockwood, PresidentKenneth A. Samet, FACHE, President and CEO, MedStar Health

NRH Today is produced by Marketing & Strategic DevelopmentRobert S. Hartmann, Vice President Emily R. Turk, Writer-Editor

If you no longer wish to receive information from MedStar NRH, please contact us in writing at the above address.

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Far too often, concussion goes undiagnosed and many people overlook the subtle symptoms of concussion until they begin to affect their lives. “It’s really important to receive a conclusive diagnosis so that any issues can be managed before they become problems,” Dr. Clark adds.

At the clinic, patients receive a thorough assessment from a brain injury physician and a neuropsychologist who work together to develop a treatment plan to manage any side effects. “In most cases of concussion, the brain will heal itself,” Dr. Clark says. “But some patients experience symptoms that left untreated can really be disruptive to their lives.”

Dr. Clark advises people become familiar with these common symptoms of concussion:

n Confusionn Loss of consciousness (even a brief one)n Memory problemsn Headachen Pressure in the headn Nausea, vomiting

n Balance problems or dizzinessn Double or blurry visionn Sensitivity to light or noisen Inattentiveness

If you or your child experiences any of these symptoms following a blow to the head, call the MedStar NRH Network Concussion Clinic at 202-877-1955.

Concussion is on the rise in the U.S., especially among young athletes.

Now a simple phone call is your front-line

of defense against the dangers of mild

traumatic brain injury—a concussion.

The MedStar NRH Network Concussion

Clinic, a unique outpatient clinic at

the MedStar National Rehabilitation

Hospital, has established the Concussion

Phone Line to help people get the help

they need. “When callers contact us we

will ask some simple questions to triage

the patient, and when it’s appropriate,

we will set up an appointment at the

Concussion Clinic,” MedStar NRH

Neuropsychologist Fellow Jessica Clark,

PhD, explains.

The clinic offers highly specialized services for the growing number of people suffering from the lingering and often life altering results of concussion. Concussion is on the rise in the U.S., especially among young athletes, the result of everything from playground or bicycling injuries, to accidents on the football and soccer fields and basketball court.

Concussion Concerns? Call the MedStar NRH Network Concussion Clinic at 202.877.1955.

Documents

NRH Today - Winter 2012