It's absolutely shocking to me that a rehabilitation hospital would not concentrate on pressure relief. That's one of the number one things to worry about.
The reason I am writing is I am curious about the 30° remark. One of my previous primary physicians wanted me sleeping with my head 30° above my feet and I found this extremely uncomfortable. Maybe you could explain why this is a necessity. I would really appreciate it. Quadius c2-3 incomplete(basically the same functionality as most C4) 15 years post On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 6:03 PM, Dr. Bo Machado <[email protected]> wrote: > KK, > > I practice in Charleston, SC. My father fell in July, sustaining a near > complete C4 SCI. My sister and I spent months at his bedside, trying to get > Dad the best care possible. Sadly, it was difficult to succeed. Dad’s case > is severe and difficult, and taxed the dedication, experience, and devotion > of the rehab hospitals we had him in (3 in total, due to Medicare time > restraints). I have CCed my sister, Ann. She may be able to add to my > comments. We were in and near the Woodlands hospitals for months ending in > Nov, 2010. > > > > I would say that Dr Hire (“Dr Hear”) at Reliant Hospital was the best for > SCI. DR Latta, at Health South and at Triumph Hospital was a very close > second, and either could care for me anytime. Dr Latta was very good at > personally investing in my Dad’s story and case. DR Hire may have had a bit > more experience w/ SCI complications, but the 2 are so close, it becomes a > matter of preference, and not science. > > > > Relient was the best of the 3 hospitals, I believe. All 3 failed to > perform at my practice standards, forgetting to keep pressure off the wound, > head above bed by 30 degrees, etc. The minor details matter to me. I believe > in saving pennies and I believe in aiming for perfection. In both cases, the > little things can add up to wins for my Dad’s recovery. Scientifically, that > may be hard to prove, but I still try to give every detail my best, while > majoring on the majors. > > > > The PT at Triumph was dismal, due to a ego disorder in the PT director. > Speech was poor there as well. The ST was going thru a divorce and missed > treatments on my Dad, a patient who lost his only means of communication > (speech) due to a post operative stroke. > > > > PT at HealthSouth was pretty good, except that there is a systematic flaw > in the way that Rehab hospitals do rounds. See below. PT/OT at HS included > Joseph Becker (director), and others. Speech there was weak until we got > them to bring in Ann McDonald, and independent Speech Therapist (not near > Bryan, Texas?). > > > > Rounds at all 3 Rehab Hospitals I experienced have a fatal flaw. (I believe > this flaw is present in 99% to 100% of Rehab Hospitals. I know it is present > in TIRR as well). The fatal flaw = The therapist treating the patient > write reports that are read and summarized by the director during rounds. > Decisions are made by the Rehab Doctor using this second hand, nonverbal > communication. Medicare and private insurance companies also rely on this > poor communication method to deny care. I do not allow second hand > communication in my ER. (If Mary saw a complication in a case, I need to > hear it from Mary, and see her face as she relates what she saw. Written > charts will NEVER replace that level of communication). > > > > The senator will probably do well, and that was a major reason TIRR took > her. She will recover well and they will get the credit and the federal > grants. It would have been politically dangerous to refuse this case, no > matter what the prognosis. I believe she would have been accepted in any > case, even if she had sustained the much more deadly *bilateral* injury. > > > > In summary, Heaven is aware of the burden and oppression that exist for SCI > pts. God will more than make up for the suffering endured at the hands of > a broken world. Jodi Erickson Tada can speak to this with more authority > than I. Until Heaven, I would trust the above doctors and Health South > therapist (except ST). Reliant therapist may be just as good. Avoid Triumph > therapist until their emotional ills are resolved and the patients become > more important than themselves. > > > > In His Reliable Grip, > > Dr Bo > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* KK [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Monday, January 31, 2011 9:57 AM > *To:* Dr. Bo Machado; MS Quads > *Subject:* Re: [QUAD-L] The 10 Best Hospitals for Wheelchair Users > > > > Dr Bo, > > Are you in the Houston area? I figured the senator got to TIRR because her > husband was a NASA employee & had big news following. > > I am in The Woodlands, above Houston. Haven't had much luck finding help > in my area. > > KK > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* Dr. Bo Machado <[email protected]> > *To:* KK <[email protected]>; MS Quads <[email protected]>; > [email protected] > *Sent:* Mon, January 31, 2011 8:30:50 AM > *Subject:* RE: [QUAD-L] The 10 Best Hospitals for Wheelchair Users > > I have personal experience w/ TIRR in Houston. Here are the sobering > facts: > > · TIRR boast great success because they turn down patients that have > a poorer prognosis. For example, they have a wound team but will not take > patients with a wound. This is a fact I have PERSONNALY witnessed. > > o Athletes, younger patients, no wounds,… > > · Good numbers leads to good grants and federal funding and US News > and World Reports top 10. > > This an unhealthy cycle IF you are excluded from admission. It could be a > blessing if you get accepted, but I am not scientifically convinced they > have better skills and results due to the patient selection bias. They DO > have more and newer gizmos, but gizmos often do change outcome. > > The best care will come from a team that PERSONALLY invest in you AND has > LOTS OF EXPERIENCE with your type of injury. That could be in any town!! > > You all are often in my prayers, > > Bo Machado MD > > -----Original Message----- > From: KK [mailto:[email protected] <[email protected]>] > Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 9:18 AM > To: MS Quads; [email protected] > Subject: [QUAD-L] The 10 Best Hospitals for Wheelchair Users > > > http://www.wheelchairpride.com/2011/01/10-best-hospitals-for-wheelchair-users.html > > ***************** > > This is only part of the article. > > ******************************** > > So, what were the top ten hospitals for wheelchair users according to > rehabilitation physicians selected by US News and World Report? > > 1. Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago Ill > > > > 2. Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ > > > > 3. University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA > > > > 4. Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA > > > > 5. TIRR Memorial Hermann, Houston, TX > > > > 6. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN > > > > 7. Craig Hospital, Englewood, CO > > > > 8. Rusk Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY > > > > 9. Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA > > > > 10. Moss Rehab, Elkins Park, PA >
