Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy for Recovery of Reaching and Grasping in Severe Chronic Pediatric Stroke Patients.
Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy for Recovery of Reaching and Grasping in Severe Chronic Pediatric Stroke Patients.
J Child Neurol. 2013 Apr 12;
Kapadia NM, Nagai MK, Zivanovic V, Bernstein J, Woodhouse J, Rumney P, Popovic MR
Stroke affects 2.7 children per 100,000 annually, leaving many of them with lifelong residual impairments despite intensive rehabilitation. In the present study the authors evaluated the effectiveness of 48 hours of transcutaneous functional electrical stimulation therapy for retraining voluntary reaching and grasping in 4 severe chronic pediatric stroke participants. Participants were assessed using the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory Hand Function Test, Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test, Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, and Assisting Hand Assessment. All participants improved on all measures. The average change scores on selected Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory Hand Function Test components were 14.5 for object manipulation (P = .042), 0.78 Nm for instrumented cylinder (P = .068), and 14 for wooden blocks (P = .068) and on the grasp component of Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test was 25.93 (P = .068). These results provide preliminary evidence that functional electrical stimulation therapy has the potential to improve upper limb function in severe chronic pediatric stroke patients. HubMed – rehab
COLLABORATE©: A Universal Competency-Based Paradigm for Professional Case Management, Part I: Introduction, Historical Validation, and Competency Presentation.
Prof Case Manag. 2013 May/June; 18(3): 122-135
Treiger TM, Fink-Samnick E
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES:: The purpose of this first of a three-article series is to provide context and justification for a new paradigm of case management built upon a value-driven foundation that PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING(S):: Applicable to all health care sectors where case management is practiced. FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS:: In moving forward, the one fact that rings true is there will be constant change in our industry. As the health care terrain shifts and new influences continually surface, there will be consequences for case management practice. These impacts require nimble clinical professionals in possession of recognized and firmly established competencies. They must be agile to frame (and reframe) their professional practice to facilitate the best possible outcomes for their patients. Case managers can choose to be Gumby or Pokey. This is exactly why the definition of a competency-based case management model’s time has come, one sufficiently fluid to fit into any setting of care. IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE:: The practice of case management transcends the vast array of representative professional disciplines and educational levels. A majority of current models are driven by business priorities rather than by the competencies critical to successful practice and quality patient outcomes. This results in a fragmented professional case management identity. While there is inherent value in what each discipline brings to the table, this advanced model unifies behind case management’s unique, strengths-based identity instead of continuing to align within traditional divisions (e.g., discipline, work setting, population served). This model fosters case management’s expanding career advancement opportunities, including a reflective clinical ladder. HubMed – rehab
Use of Ready-Made Spectacles to Meet Visual Needs in a Low-Resource Adult Population.
Optom Vis Sci. 2013 Apr 11;
Hookway LA, Fuhr P, Frazier M
PURPOSE: In affluent societies, distance and near vision problems are typically corrected with custom-made eyeglasses. Many persons in less affluent areas do not have the resources for such. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of less expensive ready-made (RM) bifocals and readers to correct distance and near refractive error and presbyopia in an outreach clinic in Nicaragua. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of records of all patients older than 34 years who presented for an eye examination in an outreach clinic in Granada, Nicaragua, in 2010. A visual satisfaction questionnaire had been administered to patients before they were examined and after RM plus sphere bifocals or plus sphere reading spectacles were dispensed. The main outcome measures included pre- and post-distance and near visual acuities, vision satisfaction and difficulty ratings, and perceived cost and willingness to pay for replacement rating. RESULTS: Ready-made plus sphere spectacles (bifocals or single-vision readers) were dispensed to 95.4% of those examined. The remaining 4.6% required custom prescriptions because of astigmatism, myopia, or anisometropia. The RM bifocals were very well accepted, with high visual satisfaction ratings with the bifocals improving from a presenting value of 11 to 89.4% at distance and from 6.6 to 89.4% at near. Percentage of patients achieving visual acuity of 20/40 or better improved from 60 to 84.5% at distance and from 44 to 97% at near. Percentage achieving functionally good near vision (20/40 or better) improved from 38 to 97% with RM readers. Patients reporting highest satisfaction with near vision improved from 6.3 to 86.6%. Patients indicated that, on average, they would be willing to pay US$ 18.39 to replace the bifocals and US$ 16.67 to replace the readers. CONCLUSIONS: Ready-made bifocals and RM single-vision readers may be an acceptable and affordable alternative for many patients with hyperopia and/or presbyopia where access to custom-made eyeglasses is difficult. HubMed – rehab