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Brooks Community Health Makes a Significant Contribution to the Local ACHE June Meeting
Celebrate 2007 A Success
Brooks/UNF Orthopaedic Residency Program Receives Prestigious Accreditation
Brooks Presents Stroke Community Health Summit
Brooks Sponsors First Ever Northeast Florida Handcycle Race and Clinic
Brooks Launches Adaptive Sport and Recreation Program
Four-year-old crash victim finally going home
Brain injured children thrive at rehab center
Brooks presents Gary Carp's "Life on Wheels"
Brooks launches physical therapy residency program
Former spinal cord injury patient runs 6K
Dream career comes later in life
Brooks donates $2.5 million to five area hospitals
Brooks Rehabilitation Adaptive Rowing Program
Brooks in the News
Brooks Celebrates Independence and National Rehabilitation Week

Brooks Community Health Makes a Significant Contribution to the local ACHE June Meeting

Congratulations to the Brooks Community Health Department for planning a successful panel discussion at the June American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) meeting which focused on Community Benefit Reporting.

The team from Brooks was outstanding in their commitment to success of the event. 

A big thank you to Brooks Health System for their support of the North Florida Chapter!!

Click here for more information. 

Celebrate Independence 2007 A Success!

The 2007 Celebrate Independence was a tremendous success!  Keynote Speaker, Legendary Climber Aron Ralston shared his amazing story, and inspired us all.  Ralston's appearance was made possible by Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics.

Torchbearers Honored

After Ralston's address, the 2007 Torchbearer awards were presented.  The Torchbearer Award is given to former rehabilitation patients who have not only met the challenges of rehabilitation, but have taken their life experience to the next level to make a difference in the lives of others. 

Torchbearers have demonstrated their care and concern by supporting others who may be facing similar trials. A Torchbearer is one who shares their experiences in overcoming emotional and physical challenges.  These are special people who have held the torch of overcoming obstacles themselves, passed it along to the next runner and helped them on their way. 

This year, two outstanding individuals who exemplify these traits were honored, Mr. Eugene Brown and Mr. Cedric Livingston.

Attendees watched demonstrations of adaptive sports and rehabilitation therapies, learned about local resources and services available to people with disabilities, and attended seminars on topics such as the latest in prosthetics, disability and sexuality, managing chronic pain, research breakthroughs in stroke recovery, and advances in diabetes treatment.

Thank you to all who attended and made Celebrate Independence possible!

Brooks/UNF Orthopaedic Residency Program Receives Prestigious Accreditation
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has approved the Brooks/ University of North Florida Orthopaedic Residency Program as an APTA-credentialed post-professional clinical residency program. Brooks Rehabilitation launched the Brooks/UNF Orthopaedic Residency Program in January of 2007. "Receiving our accreditation this early in our development is a great honor, and it makes our program even more valuable to our residents" said Program Manager, Bob Rowe, PT, DPT, DMT, MHS, FAAOMPT. 

The Physical Therapy Orthopaedic Residency is a one year program in which experienced physical therapists research and apply highly sophisticated therapy skills, focused on a specialized group of patients such as orthopaedics, back pain, or hand therapy. The Physical Therapy Orthopaedic Residency is one of many joint ventures between Brooks and the Brooks College of Health at UNF. The University offers several components including library access, gross anatomy lab and faculty to support the residents' learning and mentoring experiences.  "Because of our association, the students are enrolled simultaneously within the residency and as students within the UNF Graduate program", said A. Russell Smith, Jr., PT, Ed.D., OCS, FAAOMPT, assistant professor at the Brooks College of Health.

Students in the Orthopaedic Residency represent a wide range of experience from beginning their careers to longtime Brooks employees, like Lori Hurtak, the Manager of the Brooks Mandarin Clinic. "The training and knowledge I have gained while taking part in the program have really helped me to improve the care we give to patients at our clinic. I really appreciate the opportunity Brooks has given me to take part in this unique program," said Hurtak. 

There are only 41 clinical residency and fellowship programs in the country, two of which are located in Florida: one in St. Augustine and one in Miami. Brooks is currently one of the largest Orthopaedic Residency programs credentialed by the APTA with six residents as compared with most programs which have one or two students enrolled. The Brooks residents are undergoing the rigorous, year-long, advanced training program that includes intense didactic and hands-on learning as well as clinical mentoring.  In the fall of 2007, Brooks is launching a Neurologic Residency with an additional five residents.  Brooks plans to add a total of seven Physical Therapy Clinical Residency and four Fellowship Programs in multiple specialty areas. The program will cost Brooks an estimated $200,000 for the first year.

This effort is being led by Bob Rowe, PT, DPT, DMT, MHS, FAAOMPT, a highly credentialed, widely published, and well-known member of the APTA. Rowe joined Brooks in July of 2006 following an extensive academic career, most recently at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Rowe received his PT degree at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) in 1985 and completed his Master of Health Science in PT in 1994, also at LSUHSC. He completed an orthopaedic residency through the Ola Grimsby Institute (OGI) in 1997 and in 1999 he completed an Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Spine Fellowship also through the OGI. In 2001, Bob successfully defended his dissertation and was granted the Doctorate of Manual Therapy through the OGI. He is currently enrolled in the MGH IHP t-DPT program with expected completion in 2007. Bob has been an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy (AAOMPT) since 1995. He was recognized as a Fellow of the AAOMPT in 2001.

Currently the APTA credentials programs who meet the standards and guidelines set forth within the various specialty areas of practice. The residency/fellowship training is similar to the medical model in that licensed physical therapists who have graduated from an accredited physical therapy program will enter the residency training to attain advanced training within a specialty area of practice. The Brooks program will markedly advance the clinical and critical thinking skills of the participants who complete the program and also develop future educators.

 

Brooks Presents Stroke Community Health Summit

More than 225 Jacksonville area residents turned out for the Brooks Rehabilitation Community Health Summit titled "When Stroke Strikes". As a non-profit organization, Brooks is dedicated to giving back to the community in a variety of ways. This free event will provide an excellent opportunity for members of the community to become educated about stroke, including warning signs and treatment.

Experts from Brooks, the Mayo Clinic and Shands-Jacksonville discussed the latest in stroke prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Presentations included:

Scott Silliman, MD - "Stroke: Why and How it Occurs"
Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine
Director of Comprehensive Stroke Program at Shands-Jacksonville

Thomas Brott, MD - "Drugs and New Devices for the Emergency Treatment of Stroke"
Director of Research, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

Trevor Paris, MD - "Advances in Stroke Rehabilitation"
Board Certified Specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Medical Director of the Stroke Program at Brooks
Rehabilitation Hospital

 

 

 

Brooks Sponsors First Ever Northeast Florida Handcycle Race and Clinic

Brooks Rehabilitation is proud to be the Title Sponsor for the first ever Northeast Florida Handcycle Race and Clinic on April 14, 2007 in front of The Jacksonville Landing.  The criterium race is one of eight events in the United States Handcycling Federation National Race Series.  Elite athletes, including Monique Van der Voorst, the current world champion, and several paralympians with world and national championship titles will be participating along with local and regional athletes of all skill levels.

The televised race will be held on a flat, fast course in front of the Jacksonville Landing with upwards of 10,000 spectators expected. $2300.00 in prize money will be awarded. The Handcycle Clinic will be taught by three elite athletes and will give novice and expert athletes the opportunity to learn from the best. Race information and on-line registration are available at www.jacksonvillecyclingclassic.com. Clinic information and registration is available at (904) 910-9738.

Handcycling is a fully integrated sport, meaning that athletes with disabilities participate alongside able-bodied athletes. This type of inclusive event is consistent with  the Brooks' community reintegration philosophy of rehabilitation.

The Handcycle Race and Clinic are the latest events to be offered by the new Brooks Adaptive Sport and Recreation Program, which was launched January 1, 2007. Through this community health initiative, Brooks hopes to improve the physical and social-emotional well-being of individuals with disabilities in the Jacksonville community. Brooks recognizes that providing these opportunities is a key element of improving the quality of life for the disabled members of our community.

Brooks Launches Adaptive Sport and Recreation Program

Brooks Rehabilitation is now offering Adaptive Sport and Recreation opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the Jacksonville community. Current activities include: Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, Handcycling, Wheelchair Tennis, Adaptive Rowing and Wheelchair Fencing. Future plans include: Adaptive Golf, Waterskiing, Surfing, Hunting, Fishing, Kayaking, Softball, Soccer and more.

This program is designed to meet the needs of disabled individuals in the community for adaptive sport, leisure and recreation. The program will consist of Brooks initiatives as well as collaborating with already existing programs by increasing awareness, access and recruitment.

Individuals of all ages and abilities are welcome. Participation at the recreational and competitive level is available. If you would like more information please contact Alice Krauss at (904) 910-9738 or Alice.Krauss@brookshealth.org.

Four-year-old crash victim finally going home

She nearly died on Christmas Eve when a suspected drunk driver slammed into the back of her family's Volvo. Now, after weeks of being in a coma and undergoing intensive physical therapy, Stefanie Schneid is going home. Read more

Brain injured children thrive at rehab center

Audrey Q is doing things that just three weeks ago seemed nearly impossible.A debilitating brain injury from complications brought on by Lupus left the girl, 13, in serious condition.At Brooks Rehabilitation Center Audrey is making progress. Read more

Brooks presents Gary Carp’s “Life on Wheels”

The Brooks Rehabilitation Spinal Cord Injury Program was proud to host a lecture by Gary Karp, a well known keynote speaker with paraplegia. The event, titled "Life on Wheels", was sponsored by the Christopher Reeve Foundation and was held on Wednesday, January 24.

Karp, who broke his back at age 18, told his story of injury and rehabilitation and shared his personal and professional journey of adjustment and breaking through the negative social assumptions about disability. In addition to telling his own story, Karp also put disability in its historical context, presenting it as a human saga that has been marked by radical change in recent times. Thankfully, these changes have been for the better and have greatly expanded options for the disabled.

Brooks is excited to have hosted this special event in our continuing effort to educate and inspire members of our community.

Brooks launches physical therapy residency program

We are very pleased to announce that the Brooks Residency/Fellowship Admissions Committee has selected the individuals who have been formally chosen to participate in the inaugural class of the Brooks Rehabilitation Orthopaedic Residency program. They are:

This inaugural class for our Orthopaedic Residency program will begin a 12-month advanced training program in January 2007.  It will consist of intense hands-on learning and clinical mentoring within the specialty area of orthopaedics.  We are extremely proud all six for accepting this challenge and we hope that you offer each of them your congratulations.

Currently, there are only 41 clinical residency and fellowship programs in the country, two of which are located in Florida. In keeping with our vision of providing rehabilitation leadership to the community, Brooks identified this program as a critical method for developing future clinical leaders in Physical Therapy (PT).

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) names post-professional clinical training programs as one of the primary methods to prepare physical therapists to meet the practice needs of the future. Therapists who complete a Clinical Residency Program and/or Clinical Fellowship Program generally demonstrate superior clinical skills, advanced knowledge in a specific area of clinical practice and the ability to act as advocates and educators to their peers and patients. The Brooks program will markedly advance the clinical and critical thinking skills of the participants who complete the program and also develop future educators.
 
The next clinical residency program will be in the specialty area of Neurologic rehabilitation and will begin in Fall 2007. Individuals interested in this program should watch for more details to become available in early spring of 2007.

Former spinal cord injury patient runs 6K

Stephanie Diehl was paralyzed after a car accident six years ago. Thanks to her rehabilitation at Brooks, she ran 6K in the Outback Steakhouse Distance Classic on Thanksgiving Day. Read more

Dream career comes later in life

Ann McLamb’s mission is to keep others healthy

Ann McLamb, exercise specialist at Brooks Health & Fitness, found her dream career at nearly 60 years old. Read more (page 8)

Brooks donates $2.5 million to five area hospitals

Gary Sneed, Chairman of the Board at

Brooks Rehabilitation, announces the $2.5

million gift.

Brooks Rehabilitation is donating $2.5 million to five area non-profit hospitals. Brooks has identified Baptist Health, Flagler Hospital, the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, and St. Vincent's Medical Center in the region to receive $500,000 each over the next 5 years. Brooks is committed to improving access to outstanding healthcare on the First Coast, especially for those living with disabilities or at risk of developing a disability.

The $500,000 gifts will be used by the five hospitals in a variety of ways that will help transform healthcare in our community:

“Brooks has long shared a vision with these five exemplary non-profit institutions, a vision to continuously improve our healthcare system for the benefit of everyone in the First Coast,” said Brooks President and CEO Doug Baer. “These donations will strengthen the front line of defense against disability. The cost of permanent disability to our community is huge.  With our gift, these providers will be able to increase access to care, prevent these conditions, and advance the science of treatment.”

Brooks Rehabilitation is a non-profit provider with a mission to advance the health and well-being of those requiring rehabilitation through superior outcomes, service, education, and research.  For over 35 years, we have helped people return to independence and the community whenever possible. Because of our unique role and expertise in providing rehabilitative care, Brooks is taking a leadership role in finding ways to meet those needs, especially for those in our communities who are underserved.

Brooks Rehabilitation Adaptive Rowing Program

New program will begin at Jacksonville University in Fall 2007.

Scott Brown, an adaptive rowing champion

from Pennsylvania, came to Jacksonville to

speak at the news conference announcing

the Brooks Adaptive Rowing Program at JU

Those who have experienced a disabling injury or illness will soon have a new athletic outlet—adaptive rowing. Brooks Rehabilitation has awarded Jacksonville University (JU) a $221,000 grant to begin an adaptive rowing program on its campus, which sits on the banks of the St. Johns River. Adaptive rowing programs exist around the world, most notably in England, but only a few programs exist in the United States.

James Mitchell, head rowing coach at JU, said, “Adaptive rowing is a unique source of physical activity which can be beneficial in a rehabilitative, recreational or competitive way for those with orthopedic or sensory impairments. We are excited to develop this program and give access to to the city's greatest natural resource, the St. Johns River, to people who may not have previously had that access.”

JU has a rich rowing history, having fielded competitive collegiate men’s and women’s crew since 1956 and 1972 respectively. The Brooks Adaptive Rowing Program at JU will extend and continue this tradition. Kerry Romesburg, president of JU, says, “I am very excited about the potential for this program. We will be building a new rowing center, and we will incorporate the facilities for the adaptive rowing program into it.”

The city of Jacksonville is also partnering with JU and Brooks to develop this program. “It is a great opportunity for us as a city to participate in what, I think, will become a great program for our disabled community to enjoy our waterways,” said Councilman Lake Ray.

Brooks Rehabilitation is committed to expanding the quality of care in our region through community health initiatives. Brooks will continue to look for ways to partner with community organizations to enhance the quality of life for people living with disabilities in the Jacksonville community. Funding for the adaptive rowing program at JU is one of many projects that Brooks has identified as beneficial to persons in our community living with a disability. For example, Brooks has also invested jointly with the University of Florida to develop the Brooks Center for Rehabilitation Studies, which conducts cutting-edge, patient-centered rehabilitation research in Jacksonville.

“We want Jacksonville to become a model city in terms of the number of opportunities available for our neighbors who have physical impairments,” says Gary Sneed, Chairman of the Board at Brooks Rehabilitation. “The adaptive rowing program brings us one step closer to realizing that goal.” Brooks has also long supported Team Brooks, a wheelchair basketball team. In addition, Brooks is developing a recreational therapy and adaptive sports program at Brooks Health & Fitness.

Training activities for the adaptive rowing program will begin in the fall of 2007 with an emphasis on spending time on the water and learning and developing rowing skills. It is also hoped that the brooks Adaptive Rowing Program at JU could become a training hub for the United States Adaptive Rowing team debuting at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.

Brooks in the News

'Miracle child' recovers from brain injury. Florida Times-Union, Saturday, July 29, 2006.

Doctors said 10-year old Emily Locklear would never recover from a traumatic brain injury. Thanks to treatment at Brooks, they were wrong. Read more

Brooks Celebrates Independence and National Rehabilitation Week 

September 18 – 22, 2006

Brooks Rehabilitation celebrated independence on Thursday, September 14. The 14th annual commemoration was a time to celebrate the successful recoveries of thousands of Brooks patients over the years. This year we honored six former patients who have met the challenge of physical rehabilitation-patients whose strength and determination have been a source of encouragement to others. Their stories are truly inspirational. The winners were:

Celebrate Independence is a homecoming for many of our former patients. Many patients who attended enjoyed seeing their former caregivers and therapists.

In addition to former patients, Brooks also honored those whose work makes a difference in the lives of our patients, including a special volunteer, a business partner who went above and beyond the call of duty and a member of the media whose stories helped educate the public about rehabilitation.  

This year's Media Division Honoree was actually a former patient. Barbara Gavan is the Editor of the Florida Times-Union's PrimeTime publication.  She has played an integral role in our efforts to get the word out to the community about what rehabilitation really means. After being in a catastrophic car accident 15 years ago, Barbara was admitted to Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital for a two-month stay. She had twelve broken bones, including her leg, shoulder, pelvis and a number of ribs, and she worked vigorously with therapists. The work paid off a year later when Barbara was able to return to her job. With her personal experience with Brooks and rehabilitation, she has a unique perspective on what we do here.

Bette Goedtke is this year's outstanding volunteer winner. You can generally find her in our Gift Shop.  Goedtke is a tireless worker who is generous with her time and her good cheer.

Our outstanding business partner winner is Jeff Stout of Fletcher's Medical Supply. Jeff truly extends himself to our patients, and we appreciate the added care that he gives.

Celebrate Independence was a prelude for Rehab Week, a week-long celebration designed to observe the many benefits of rehabilitation and to promote awareness in the community of what rehabilitation is. Rehab Week extends from September 18 to 22, 2006.