November 2010 Archives

Ever think about how well the hospitals are performing where your injured employees are being treated? If not, perhaps it is something to consider. If you've already seen the report, I think it is worth a second look...

US News Ranks Best Hospitals

Every year, US News ranks what they consider to be the Best Hospitals in the U.S. according to 16 specialties. The Honor Roll, or the best of the best, includes only 14 hospitals for 2010 with Johns Hopkins topping the list as number 1 - as it has for the past 20 years. Check out their list of the best hospitals for rehabilitation.

Cara Barde, president of Total Medical Solutions, says: "Our staff go to these hospitals that specialize in rehabilitation to meet with catastrophic patients before they are discharged. They work with the hospital to ensure the patient has the proper equipment and supplies in place before they go home. TMS staff travels to the hospital and to the patient's home to be sure that everything is as it should be." Cara points this out as something that sets TMS apart from their competition.

Finally, here is an inspirational video prepared by the Mayo Clinic, ranked as one of the best hospitals for the 21st year in a row. The video was the opening video at a symposium called "Thinking Differently about Health Care." 

In the spirit of giving thanks, todays post is dedicated to how social media has revolutionized communications. Here are some interesting Thanksgiving-related posts around the web...

The social media blog Socialnomics posted the Top 10 Reasons Why Social Media is like Thanksgiving; WIRED magazine posted 10 Geeky Things to Be Thankful For, 2010 Edition; and what would Thanksgiving be without considering the Black Friday shopping frenzy? Fanatical shoppers with iPhones may be thankful for Amazon's Price Check Shopping App;  Huffington Post shared stories of families opening their homes to the needy via Craigs List; and National Geographic shares Thanksgiving 2010 Myths and Facts.

Finally, the following video presentation by Socialnomics, shows us in facts and figures just how much our world has changed with social media. Enjoy...

Scientists have progressed in efforts to channel brain waves to control mechanical devices. It is a technique that may help people who are paralyzed regain mobility. It sounds like something you'd see in the popular movie Avatar. But, it is animals like Rhesus monkeys - not the Na'vi of Pandora - who provide the mental powers in the labs of Miguel Nicolelis, neurobiologist at Duke University. The brain waves of these monkeys are harnessed to make robots move. Read more about this story as it appeared recently on the WSJ Health Blog in a post called "Mind Walk". Be sure to watch the video -- it shows rats with completely severed spinal cords able to walk again and support their full weight.

What are Environmental Control Units? Well, you know, in workers' comp we just can't resist using acronyms, so ECUs, as they are commonly referred to, are forms of assistive technology that allow a person with physicial disabilities to interact with and control their living environment. ECUs help a person who has a physical disablity participate in a broad range of activities at home, work, in a classroom, or in a hospital through a variety of user-friendly technology interfaces such as the touch of a button, motion or voice recognition technology.

Apple's Ipad -- A Good Tool for People with Disabilities?

The Ipad's sensitive touch-screen technology has many speculating how the latest Apple gadget will be able to help people with disabilities. From therapeutic applications to being able to connect and communicate with the outside world, the potential applications could be endless. For example, read the story of Owen Cain and his Ipad as it recently appeared in the New York Times [requires free membership to access] and watch a video of Owen using an Ipad:

 

Impulse - an EMG (Electromyography) Sensing Electrode Switch

The Impulse is a computer control device that responds to the tiniest of muscle contractions. Using patented technology, the Impulse detects and transmits EMG signals to a computer using Bluetooth wireless technology. Software processes the EMG activity as a traditional switch "click", thereby allowing the user to control their computer with the slightest of muscle movements. Read the complete list of Impulse features.

These are just two examples of ECUs. There are many types and applications available on the market and prices have become much more reasonable over the past few years. ECU devices help people with physical limitations do everything from use the telephone, open and close doors, turn on the television, operate an adjustable bed, turn lights off and on, etc. Just about any electronic appliance in the home can be controlled with an ECU.

A few short years ago, these options simply were not available to individuals who are physically disabled. Technological advancements such as the Ipad and the Impulse, however, make independent living a bit more tangible. For more information on ECUs and how they can transform the quality of life for your injured worker, please contact Total Medical Solutions at 1-800-700-9393.

Are you involved in managing the care of injured workers who are wheelchair bound? If so, there are many adjustments that should be made to ensure a claimant's home is both safe and accessible. Many details often go overlooked and can severely limit a person's ability to access their own home. This could lead to depression and other complications that result in added claims costs and potential attorney involvement. 

Zack Craft, vice president of rehabilitation technology and complex care for Total Medical Solutions, recommends a thorough review of the claim at the onset to ensure the claimant's needs are met and to minimize costs and legal issues over the life of the claim. Zack offers this checklist for adjusters, nurse case managers and others who are involved in managing the care of injured workers as a helpful guide:

Inside the home

1. Clear pathways throughout home. All travel paths including doors and hallways should be clear and a minimum of 32" wide;
2. Remove loose carpeting or rugs;
3. Furniture placed 32" apart. All furniture pieces should be placed a minimum of 32" apart to allow easy wheelchair access; consider space in each room for turning the wheelchair -- minimum of 5 foot radius needed;
4. Doorways are 32" wide. If the doorway can't be widened, consider installing offset hinges that allow the door to swing completely clear of the opening;
5. Threshold ramps installed. For sub-level homes, this allows access to to all rooms in the home as well as the car garage;
6. Kitchen tips: appliances should have front controls; clear furniture from travel paths and ensure 32"-wide path all around; ensure access to an easy grasp reacher to allow access to items that are in cabinets or out of reach;
7. Laundry room tips: ensure front-loading washer and dryer; door swings should not obstruct pathway;
8. Bathroom tips: shower should be big enough to accommodate a wheelchair - minimum 5 foot radius; wall-mounted or pedestal sink; consider whether a transfer bench, roll-in shower or rehab shower chair is needed; install a hand-held shower head; diverter valve installed to allow either overhead shower or hand-held shower; hand rails installed for transferring to/from toilet;
9. Bedroom tips: super pole installed from ground to ceiling next to bed allows for transfer support; all-in-one commode next to bed; home care beds can also be placed in a living room with all-in-one commode if bedroom does not accommodate;
10. Safety exits: ensure at least one, but preferrably two doors in the home are designated and set up as emergency exits for the wheelchair user.

Outside the home

1. Doorways should be a minimum of 32" wide; if doorways are narrower than this, they should be widened;
2. Ensure easy access in and out of the home. Install at least one ramp to an entry/exit of the home; aluminum ramping is preferred and is a must for mobile homes and trailer homes;
3. All sidewalks should be leveled and made from concrete; no gravel walkways;
4. Vertical platform lifts should be used in homes located in flood zones, if decks are installed and/or in tight spaces such as a courtyard.
5. Mailbox relocated for easy access.

For your reference, here are the current design guidelines as set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This checklist is meant to be a starting point for consideration on your claims. Total Medical Solutions suggests working with an experienced rehabilitation specialist to ensure claims are appropriately managed. 

If you are a person with disabilities, you can now enjoy the beach like everyone else! How? Well, you could plan to visit a beach in Sarasota, FL. Sarasota County Parks & Recreation now offers 10 beach wheelchairs for disabled individuals. The Mobi-Chair is a high-quality, amphibious beach wheelchair that provides seamless transition from boardwalk-to beach-to water. The Mobi-Chair offers people who were once limited the opportunity to enjoy the natural therapies of the beach environment -- the fresh sea air, the sound of the waves lapping at the shore and yes, even the cool blue ocean waters. Wheelchair users, people and children with special needs benefit from the convenience, portability and comfort of this unique wheelchair designed specifically for the beach. Members of Sarasota County's Therapeutic Recreation Coalition were among the first to enjoy the new beach wheelchairs. Watch this video about the Mobi-Chair:

 

 

Wounded Soldiers Find New Freedoms Through Scuba Diving

And another unique program focused on disabled individuals utilizes the sport of scuba diving as therapy for wounded soldiers. Read Scuba diving is therapy for wounded troops, as it appeared last week in the Montreal Gazette. Twice a year in Key Largo, Florida the Warrior Dive promotes scuba diving as rehabilitative therapy. Key Largo merchants and veterans show their patriotic gratitude to the disabled vets by donating hotel rooms, transportation and hosting barbecues to support the dives. Diving allows these individuals certain freedoms beneath the ocean waves that they can't achieve on land. The weightless environment of the underwater world allows the disabled diver to go where they want to go -- something they really enjoy.

A similar program called SUDS, an acronym for Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba, is a diving rehab program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Navy Hospital. Read Suds Diving: It's Not What You Think It's Better!

Chris Rea, rehabilitation specialist for Total Medical Solutions (TMS) has earned the highest certification possible in complex rehabilitation. Chris recently achieved certification as a Seating and Mobility Specialist (SMS) through Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA). The SMS certification can only be achieved by an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) who specializes in the comprehensive seating, positioning and mobility needs of individuals with disabilities.

Cara Barde, President of TMS had this to say, "Chris has achieved the highest certification possible in complex rehab; only 24 people in the world have achieved it, and he is the first in Florida to achieve this distinctive certification. We are very proud that Chris is a member of the TMS family and it is further proof of our commitment to being the top complex care provider in the workers' compensation industry." Read more about Chris Rea's certification.

TMS Blog Earns Top 25 Honor by LexisNexis

And last week, the very blog you are reading was awarded the distinct honor from LexisNexis by being named as one of the "Top 25 Blogs for Workers' Compensation and Workplace Issues." The author, yours truly, is very humbled and honored to have achieved such a distinctive honor for Total Medical Solutions' Work Comp Complex Care Blog in our very first year. A big "thank you!" to the community members, editors and Larson's National Workers' Compensation Advisory Board for recognizing us. See the complete LexisNexis Top 25 2010 Honoree list and bookmark those other blogs!