RUSK Insights on Rehabilitation Medicine
RUSK Insights on Rehabilitation Medicine is a top podcast featuring interviews with faculty and staff of RUSK Rehabilitation as well as leaders from other rehabilitation programs around the country. These podcasts are being offered by RUSK, one of the top rehabilitation centers in the world. Your host for these interviews is Dr. Tom Elwood. He will take you behind the scenes to look at what is transpiring in the exciting world of rehabilitation research and clinical services through the eyes of those involved in making dynamic breakthroughs in health care.
info_outline
Dr. Maria Janakos: Rehabilitation of Patients with a Concussion, Part 2
11/19/2025
Dr. Maria Janakos: Rehabilitation of Patients with a Concussion, Part 2
Dr. Maria Janakos is a sports medicine physiatrist at NYU and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of Louisville and a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey. Her clinical interests include concussion management, orthobiologics, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and event coverage. Dr. Janakos is actively involved in medical education at NYU, teaching medical students, residents, and fellows through lectures, hands-on training, and mentorship. At NYU, she is an active member of the NYU Concussion Center, where she regularly lectures on various concussion topics at both local and national levels. She specializes in the care of patients with acute concussions, treating individuals from adolescence through age 45. Part 2 The discussion included the following topics: challenges that patients face during the recovery period; factors determining treatment outcomes; preventing concussions; composition of the interdisciplinary treatment team; and the role of technology in treatment interventions.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/39007185
info_outline
Dr. Maria Janakos: Rehabilitation of Patients with a Concussion, Part 1
11/05/2025
Dr. Maria Janakos: Rehabilitation of Patients with a Concussion, Part 1
Dr. Maria Janakos is a sports medicine physiatrist at NYU and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of Louisville and a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey. Her clinical interests include concussion management, orthobiologics, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and event coverage. Dr. Janakos is actively involved in medical education at NYU, teaching medical students, residents, and fellows through lectures, hands-on training, and mentorship. At NYU, she is an active member of the NYU Concussion Center, where she regularly lectures on various concussion topics at both local and national levels. She specializes in the care of patients with acute concussions, treating individuals from adolescence through age 45. Part 1 The discussion included the following topics: age groups of patients receiving treatment; types of cases treated; distinguishing medical terms for brain injuries; common symptomology; patient journey from initial assessment through recovery; and collaboration with patients’ families.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/38922980
info_outline
Dr. Yingrong Zhu: 5th Annual Summit on Oncology Rehabilitation, Part 1
10/22/2025
Dr. Yingrong Zhu: 5th Annual Summit on Oncology Rehabilitation, Part 1
Dr. Zhu is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include the management of a range of symptoms associated with cancer and its treatment, including weakness, pain, neuropathy, and limited range of motion. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to proactive healthcare engagement, working closely with a team to provide comprehensive care. Her practice emphasizes patient education, along with helping individuals understand the causes of their symptoms and the changes their bodies are undergoing. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She then went on to complete a PM&R Residency at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and a Cancer Rehabilitation Fellowship at the University of Miami. Part 1 The discussion included the following topics: primary purpose of this offering, educational objectives. Summit format, target audience, topics to be covered, and expected outcomes for participants.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/38743180
info_outline
Dr. Patricia Tan & Dr. Megan Conklin: Rehabilitation Care of Pediatric Patients, Part 2
10/08/2025
Dr. Patricia Tan & Dr. Megan Conklin: Rehabilitation Care of Pediatric Patients, Part 2
Dr. Patricia Tan serves as Medical Director for Rusk Pediatrics Rehabilitation. Her Certification is from the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. She has been selected as a Fellow by the following organizations: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine; and the Association of Academic Physiatrists. Her medical degree is from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. Dr. Megan Conklin is Associate Director of Rusk Pediatric Therapy Services at NYU Langone. She works collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team across the spectrum of pediatric diagnoses from birth through the transition into adulthood. She has a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, 20 years of clinical experience at NYU; and is certified as a clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties of the American Physical Therapy Association. Part 2 The discussion included the following topics: quality measures used to determine if desired outcomes are being achieved; challenges or potential downsides associated with a transition from pediatric to adult care; integration of artificial intelligence into pediatric rehabilitation; and current pediatric research conducted at NYU.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/38329170
info_outline
Dr. Patricia Tan & Dr. Megan Conklin: Rehabilitation Care of Pediatric Patients, Part 1
09/24/2025
Dr. Patricia Tan & Dr. Megan Conklin: Rehabilitation Care of Pediatric Patients, Part 1
Dr. Patricia Tan serves as Medical Director for Rusk Pediatrics Rehabilitation. Her Certification is from the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. She has been selected as a Fellow by the following organizations: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine; and the Association of Academic Physiatrists. Her medical degree is from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. Dr. Megan Conklin is Associate Director of Rusk Pediatric Therapy Services at NYU Langone. She works collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team across the spectrum of pediatric diagnoses from birth through the transition into adulthood. She has a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, 20 years of clinical experience at NYU; and is certified as a clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties of the American Physical Therapy Association. Part 1 The discussion included the following topics: kinds of health problems and conditions treated; age range of patients; clinical guidelines and evidence-based treatment protocols used; holistic approaches to treatment; collaboration with families of patients; and composition of the health care team
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/38329150
info_outline
Dr. Ira Rashbaum & Dr. Samuel Mann: Role of Emotions in the Onset of Physical Health Problems, Part 2
09/10/2025
Dr. Ira Rashbaum & Dr. Samuel Mann: Role of Emotions in the Onset of Physical Health Problems, Part 2
Dr. Ira Rashbaum specializes in mind–body care and treatment of patients who have tension myoneural syndrome, previously known as tension myositis syndrome, a condition that causes pain and symptoms associated with tension and stress factors. His expertise is in diagnosing and treating individuals who have psychosomatic pain disorders. He has an extensive list of publications, national meeting presentations, and media appearances. As study guide committee chairperson of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, he led a project that compiled information on advances in rehabilitation medicine for more than 10,000 physicians worldwide. This position placed him at the forefront of all aspects of rehabilitation medicine. Dr. Samuel Mann is a physician and researcher, specializing in hypertension. He has spent the past 40 years as a specialist in this condition, combining patient care, research and teaching at his institution. As a researcher, he has published 65 articles in medical and psychology journals, along with 10 book chapters on hypertension, and three books. His most recent book is “Hidden Within Us; A Radical New Understanding of the Mind-Body Connection (2022). He emphasizes that in most patients, hypertension is not a mind/body disorder. But when it is, it is not related to emotions, such as anger and anxiety that patients report, but to powerful repressed emotions, often related to a past history of stress or trauma, that are completely hidden from conscious awareness. Part 2 The discussion included the following topics: accuracy of adults in recalling traumatic events that may have occurred in childhood, communicating with patients reluctant to discuss emotional aspects other than physical health ailments; possible distinctions among patients in different demographic groups, non-pharmacologic kinds of treatment, and status of research aimed at understanding the connection between emotions and physical health problems.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/37973740
info_outline
Dr. Ira Rashbaum & Dr. Samuel Mann: Role of Emotions in the Onset of Physical Health Problems, Part 1
08/27/2025
Dr. Ira Rashbaum & Dr. Samuel Mann: Role of Emotions in the Onset of Physical Health Problems, Part 1
Dr. Ira Rashbaum specializes in mind–body care and treatment of patients who have tension myoneural syndrome, previously known as tension myositis syndrome, a condition that causes pain and symptoms associated with tension and stress factors. His expertise is in diagnosing and treating individuals who have psychosomatic pain disorders. He has an extensive list of publications, national meeting presentations, and media appearances. As study guide committee chairperson of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, he led a project that compiled information on advances in rehabilitation medicine for more than 10,000 physicians worldwide. This position placed him at the forefront of all aspects of rehabilitation medicine. Dr. Samuel Mann is a physician and researcher, specializing in hypertension. He has spent the past 40 years as a specialist in this condition, combining patient care, research and teaching at his institution. As a researcher, he has published 65 articles in medical and psychology journals, along with 10 book chapters on hypertension, and three books. His most recent book is “Hidden Within Us; A Radical New Understanding of the Mind-Body Connection (2022). He emphasizes that in most patients, hypertension is not a mind/body disorder. But when it is, it is not related to emotions, such as anger and anxiety that patients report, but to powerful repressed emotions, often related to a past history of stress or trauma, that are completely hidden from conscious awareness. Part 1 The discussion included the following topics: definitions of repressed and suppressed emotions; common emotions that patients tend to repress; extent to which the biomedical model may have to be augmented or replaced as a means of having a greater emphasis on emotions and their unrecognized relationship to some physical health conditions; strength of evidence supporting a connection between emotions and physical health conditions; and the role played by emotional trauma on the onset of various physical health conditions.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/37973695
info_outline
Dr. Ronald (James) Cotton Grand Rounds: Opportunities of AI Powered Gait Analysis for Rehabilitation, Part 2
08/13/2025
Dr. Ronald (James) Cotton Grand Rounds: Opportunities of AI Powered Gait Analysis for Rehabilitation, Part 2
Dr. Ronald (James) Cotton who is an electrical engineer, neuroscientist, and physiatrist working as a physician scientist at Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, and assistant professor in the Northwestern University Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. We have this one paper where we can use diffusion models and generate a bunch of probabilistic samples of movements and they constrain them by what we see in the cameras and have shown that we can actually estimate the confidence and the uncertainty in a reliable way. He indicated that we can use something called the myoskeleton that allows us to track all joints in the body down to the individual fingers. Our Portable Biomechanics Laboratory is kind of a combination of a smartphone app that records the rotation and movement of the phone itself. He discussed how he would like to establish validity as a predictive biomarker. He asked what do we actually want and what do we mean by precision rehabilitation? In his mind, the best formalism of it is something called the optimal dynamic treatment regime, which essentially is some kind of function, probably a learned function that looks at all the health information, all the biomarkersof an individual at any point in rehabilitation, kind of condenses that into a phenotype, and then predicts what is the next intervention that should be given. He spoke briefly about a case studythat applies to another line of research in his lab, which is EMG-based biofeedback and also about Next Generation Brain Machine Interface Chips.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/37607190
info_outline
Dr. Ronald (James) Cotton Grand Rounds: Opportunities of AI Powered Gait Analysis for Rehabilitation, Part 1
07/30/2025
Dr. Ronald (James) Cotton Grand Rounds: Opportunities of AI Powered Gait Analysis for Rehabilitation, Part 1
Dr. Ronald (James) Cotton who is an electrical engineer, neuroscientist, and physiatrist working as a physician scientist at Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, and assistant professor in the Northwestern University Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. PART 1 All of us probably believe and understand that how someone moves and walks is hugely informative. People are exuding all this information about their health status, but we don't measure it and obviously a core treatment of rehabilitation is how people move. We don't actually routinely measure that and the reason is that we need better, more clinically accessible tools to measure the clinically meaningful things about movement and then use those to guide our treatment programs. We've never really had the tools. So, I'm going to discuss a plurality of methods we've been developing in my lab, including tools that use multi-view video, monocular video from a smartphone, for example, as well as sensor technology and then how we're trying to extract clinically meaningful metrics from these methods. A challenge we've been addressing in the lab is that the tools developed by the AI community don't necessarily solve the problems that we need or produce clinically relevant outputs. It's really important to have confidence intervals on what you measure. If we're going to use anything for decision making, we have to know we can trust it. A problem with a lot of computer vision algorithms is they don't provide anything like confidence intervals. Even if they pretend to, they're often uncalibrated and unreliable.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/37607160
info_outline
400th Rusk Rehabilitation Podcast Anniversary: Dr Steven Flanagan, Part 3
07/16/2025
400th Rusk Rehabilitation Podcast Anniversary: Dr Steven Flanagan, Part 3
Dr. Steven Flanagan, a nationally renowned expert in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI), has worked at the Rusk Rehabilitation Institute at NYU Langone Health since 2008. He serves as the Howard A. Rusk Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Chairperson of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. A former President of the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), he is certified by the American Board of PM&R (Brain Injury Medicine). A graduate of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, he completed his medical residency at Mt. Sinai Medical Center/Cabrini, Rehabilitation. Part 3 The discussion covered the following topics: social prescribing, artificial intelligence, reducing length of hospital stay, hospital readmission of patients, and implications of an obesity epidemic.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/37050885
info_outline
400th Rusk Rehabilitation Podcast Anniversary: Dr Steven Flanagan, Part 2
07/02/2025
400th Rusk Rehabilitation Podcast Anniversary: Dr Steven Flanagan, Part 2
Dr. Steven Flanagan, a nationally renowned expert in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI), has worked at the Rusk Rehabilitation Institute at NYU Langone Health since 2008. He serves as the Howard A. Rusk Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Chairperson of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. A former President of the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), he is certified by the American Board of PM&R (Brain Injury Medicine). A graduate of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, he completed his medical residency at Mt. Sinai Medical Center/Cabrini, Rehabilitation. Part 2 The discussion covered the following topics: Rusk’s interprofessional approach to patient care, future hiring needs, health promotion efforts to enhance health of staff, preparing Rusk residents for the future in health care, and putting patients first.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/37050865
info_outline
400th Rusk Rehabilitation Podcast Anniversary: Dr Steven Flanagan, Part 1
06/18/2025
400th Rusk Rehabilitation Podcast Anniversary: Dr Steven Flanagan, Part 1
Dr. Steven Flanagan, a nationally renowned expert in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI), has worked at the Rusk Rehabilitation Institute at NYU Langone Health since 2008. He serves as the Howard A. Rusk Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Chairperson of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. A former President of the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), he is certified by the American Board of PM&R (Brain Injury Medicine). A graduate of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, he completed his medical residency at Mt. Sinai Medical Center/Cabrini, Rehabilitation. Part 1 The discussion covered the following topics: his involvement at Rusk in patient care, research, and professional organizations; impact of COVID on Rusk; traumatic brain injury biomarkers; and recruitment and retention of health professionals.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/37050830
info_outline
Grand Rounds: Dr. Molly Fuentes, Health Inequities Among Children with Disabilities: Focus on American Indian and Alaska Native Children. Part 2
05/21/2025
Grand Rounds: Dr. Molly Fuentes, Health Inequities Among Children with Disabilities: Focus on American Indian and Alaska Native Children. Part 2
Dr. Molly Fuentes is medical director at the inpatient rehabilitation unit at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Dr. Fuentes is an assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Medicine. She also is a pediatric physiatrist. She completed her undergraduate degree at Stanford University and is a graduate of the School of Medicine at the University of Michigan. She completed her residency at the University of Washington and later completed a pediatric fellowship at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. She then completed a research fellowship in pediatric injury at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Washington. She is the medical director at the inpatient rehabilitation unit at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Part 2 She indicated that the Indian Health Service per capita receives half of what Medicaid receives. Treaty-bound trusts for providing health care are chronically underfunded. The Indian Health Service operates under a funding cap, which is annually appropriated. In contrast, Medicare and Medicaid are entitlement programs. She then returned to looking back at the injury-equity framework. She wanted to dive into the pre-event phase factors for native children and teens. An example pertains to motor vehicle injuries. Tribal sovereignty means that tribal laws are what is important to safety on reservations roads, e.g., speed limits and seat belt use. She described various programs that aim to improve safety on tribal roads. She then discussed the post-event phase involving rehabilitation and the golden hour that affects health outcomes. Where native people mostly reside in the U.S., there are fewer trauma centers. A related topic is models of access to health care services. The acceptability of these services by patients is a key element in the quality of health care provided. High rates of health uninsurance affect this population negatively.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/36453455
info_outline
Grand Rounds: Dr. Molly Fuentes, Health Inequities Among Children with Disabilities: Focus on American Indian and Alaska Native Children. Part 1
05/08/2025
Grand Rounds: Dr. Molly Fuentes, Health Inequities Among Children with Disabilities: Focus on American Indian and Alaska Native Children. Part 1
Dr. Molly Fuentes is medical director at the inpatient rehabilitation unit at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Dr. Fuentes is an assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Medicine. She also is a pediatric physiatrist. She completed her undergraduate degree at Stanford University and is a graduate of the School of Medicine at the University of Michigan. She completed her residency at the University of Washington and later completed a pediatric fellowship at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. She then completed a research fellowship in pediatric injury at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Washington. She is the medical director at the inpatient rehabilitation unit at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Part 1 Dr. Fuentes described her life experiences that influenced her choice of a career in the area of pediatric disability. In this presentation, she wanted to: review the injury epidemiology literature for American Indian and Alaska Native children and teens, identify some historical traumas that impact native people, recognize the utility of the injury-equity framework, the international classification of functioning disability and health model, conceptualize rehabilitative care, and describe some barriers to rehabilitation care. A health disparity is just that difference in health status between population groups. A health disparity becomes an inequity when that disparity is due to systematic differences in social, economic, environmental, or health care resources. There is a health care inequity when there is a difference in access to health care utilization or receipt of health care services. Looking specifically at disability and functional difference among American Indian and Alaska Native children, there really is not that much published literature on the prevalence of disability in this population. Dr. Fuentes concluded Part 1 by discussing historical relationships between Native American tribes and the federal government, which have had a significant deleterious impact on individual and community health status of these individuals. For example, boarding schools or residence schools represent another kind of push in the direction of forced assimilation where traditional practices were punished.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/36490485
info_outline
Dr. Shae Datta: Nutritional Recovery After Concussion, Part 2
04/23/2025
Dr. Shae Datta: Nutritional Recovery After Concussion, Part 2
Shae Datta, MD is a Sports Neurologist with special interest in post-concussion syndrome, vestibulo-ocular dysfunction and the relation of integrative medicine on brain health. Her specific training allows for a variety of treatment modalities in the identification of mild traumatic brain injury and sideline concussion diagnosis. She has written a book chapter on the gut microbiome and its relation to headache syndromes in concussion. Her primary research interests include identifying predictors of concussion recovery, examining the role of sleep during concussion recovery, and investigating the cognitive implications of concussion. Dr. Datta serves as Vice Chair of the American Academy of Neurology's Sports Neurology Section to further awareness and develop new education initiatives in the field. Part 2 We call them psychobiotics because these specific probiotics actually are helping the targeting of treatment of things we are trying to do.) Next, we are going to discuss nutritional support of these patients. She discussed the role of nutritional supplements, such as Vitamin E. The brain requires high levels of Vitamin C after a traumatic brain injury, It is a potent antioxidant. Magnesium levels drop acutely right after a concussion. It reduces stress and promotes relaxation. It helps in sleeping. She identified which magnesium supplements should be used. She furnished information about jockeys who are at a high risk for experiencing concussions. Additionally, in order to meet requirements in competition, many of them starve themselves to arrive at their goal weight. They talk openly about their eating disorders. Another topic covered in her presentation is mitochondria and fatigue. She also indicated the use of various alternative and complementary substances.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/36069635
info_outline
Dr. Shae Datta: Nutritional Recovery After Concussion, Part 1
04/09/2025
Dr. Shae Datta: Nutritional Recovery After Concussion, Part 1
Shae Datta, MD is a Sports Neurologist with special interest in post-concussion syndrome, vestibulo-ocular dysfunction and the relation of integrative medicine on brain health. Her specific training allows for a variety of treatment modalities in the identification of mild traumatic brain injury and sideline concussion diagnosis. She has written a book chapter on the gut microbiome and its relation to headache syndromes in concussion. Her primary research interests include identifying predictors of concussion recovery, examining the role of sleep during concussion recovery, and investigating the cognitive implications of concussion. Dr. Datta serves as Vice Chair of the American Academy of Neurology's Sports Neurology Section to further awareness and develop new education initiatives in the field. Part 1 Today’s topic is something none of us got in medical school. What makes her successful in treating her patients is having this approach, sort of a 180-360 approach to nutritional status among the head-neck , vestibular balance, and everything else we do. When a concussion occurs, we often have disruption of the blood-brain barrier. There also is inflammation. Ultimately, there can be cell death. We have an opportunity for nutritional repair in concussions. There is an energy crisis in the brain. We need to increase the brain’s need for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients. We will discuss in this presentation how to get that into a person’s brain or diet and look at why diet matters.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/36069605
info_outline
Avery Menaker and Faye Bronstein: High Intensity Training Across the Continuum.
03/26/2025
Avery Menaker and Faye Bronstein: High Intensity Training Across the Continuum.
Avery Menaker is a senior occupational therapist at NYU Rusk Rehabilitation. She is certified as both a stroke rehabilitation specialist and a brain injury specialist. She co-leads an initiative at NYU to bring high intensity practice to patients participating in occupational therapy. Faye Bronstein is the inpatient rehabilitation clinical specialist at Rusk Rehabilitation. She is board certified in neurology, geriatrics, and physical therapy, and has led initiatives to bring high intensity training practice into the NYU inpatient setting over the past three years. The following topics were among those discussed in the interview: how high intensity training differs from traditional therapy approaches and what its benefits are; kinds of patients for whom high intensity training is appropriate; research to support high intensity training; equipment needed for this intervention; what a typical high intensity treatment session looks like in physical therapy and occupational therapy; implementation challenges; whether high intensity training is done in every therapy clinic and if all therapists know about it; and contents of an NYU continuing education course on high intensity training that will be offered on May 17-18, 2025.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/35712260
info_outline
Dr. Andrew Bateman: Care of Patients with Neurological Impairments, Part 3
03/12/2025
Dr. Andrew Bateman: Care of Patients with Neurological Impairments, Part 3
Dr. Andrew Bateman has worked in clinical rehabilitation and research since 1990 as a chartered physiotherapist. He was fascinated by the problem of patients with neurological conditions not doing what he expected. So, he went off to learn more about neuropsychology and did so by completing a PhD in Neuropsychology in 1997. He was at the National Health Service until 2019 when he left to take up his current academic role as a full professor of rehabilitation. He is a Past President and currently Treasurer of The Society for Research in Rehabilitation; and Chair of the charity “United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum” and was recently appointed President of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Neurology. Part 3 The discussion covered the following topics: spiritual aspects of health care, use of wearable devices by patients, role of physical exercise in the care of patients, influence of dietary practices on patients’ health status, and personal research underway and expected to begin in the near term.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/35180500
info_outline
Dr. Andrew Bateman: Care of Patients with Neurological Impairments, Part 2
02/26/2025
Dr. Andrew Bateman: Care of Patients with Neurological Impairments, Part 2
Dr. Andrew Bateman has worked in clinical rehabilitation and research since 1990 as a chartered physiotherapist. He was fascinated by the problem of patients with neurological conditions not doing what he expected. So, he went off to learn more about neuropsychology and did so by completing a PhD in Neuropsychology in 1997. He was at the National Health Service until 2019 when he left to take up his current academic role as a full professor of rehabilitation. He is a Past President and currently Treasurer of The Society for Research in Rehabilitation; and Chair of the charity “United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum” and was recently appointed President of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Neurology. Part 2 The discussion covered the following topics: launching new program initiatives, professionals involved in holistic neuropsychological rehabilitation, addressing health care disparities, willingness of patients to cooperate in their care, role of informal caregivers, and use of telehealth as an intervention.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/35180465
info_outline
Dr. Andrew Bateman: Care of Patients with Neurological Impairments, Part 1
02/12/2025
Dr. Andrew Bateman: Care of Patients with Neurological Impairments, Part 1
Dr. Andrew Bateman has worked in clinical rehabilitation and research since 1990 as a chartered physiotherapist. He was fascinated by the problem of patients with neurological conditions not doing what he expected. So, he went off to learn more about neuropsychology and did so by completing a PhD in Neuropsychology in 1997. He was at the National Health Service until 2019 when he left to take up his current academic role as a full professor of rehabilitation. He is a Past President and currently Treasurer of The Society for Research in Rehabilitation; and Chair of the charity “United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum” and was recently appointed President of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Neurology. Part 1 The discussion covered the following topics: diagnosing acquired brain injuries; biomarkers for neurological impairments; Long COVID and neurological symptoms; recruitment and retention of health personnel; and composition of the health care team.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/35180390
info_outline
Dr. Sara Cuccurullo and Dr. Talya Flemming: Investigating and Analyzing the Effect of a Comprehensive Stroke Recovery Program, Part 2
01/29/2025
Dr. Sara Cuccurullo and Dr. Talya Flemming: Investigating and Analyzing the Effect of a Comprehensive Stroke Recovery Program, Part 2
The introduction is done by Dr. Steven Flanagan, Chairperson of the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health. Sara Cuccurullo MD is Professor and Chairman, Residency Program Director in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Rutgers- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Medical Director, VP at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute; and Physician in Chief of HMH Rehabilitation Care Transformation Services Talya Flemming MD is Medical Director: Stroke Recovery Program, Post-COVID Rehabilitation Program, Aftercare Program ABMS, Brain Injury Medicine Certified JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Core Associate Professor, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Part 2 Dr. Flemming described the functional results obtained from their intervention. They specifically chose the activity measure proposed for post-acute care, abbreviated as AM-PAC. It showed improvement over time and it allowed looking at specific subsections within rehabilitation, such as basic mobility, daily activity, and cognitive scores. An AM-PAC score is a recognized tool by Medicare used in multiple post-acute care settings. Dr. Cuccurullo indicated that according to an article published in 2011 in the journal Stroke, the all-cause mortality for stroke patients in the U.S. is 31%. In one year, the all-cause mortality in their program was 1.47%. Their results were published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The paper received the Excellence in Research Writing Award for the most impactful article of the year. Significantly, the manuscript attracted the attention of Medicare officials who asked them to present their findings. CMS wanted to know if it can be proved that the stroke recovery program saves money, can they validate their previous improvement in mortality with more patients, and can they replicate the results at other institutions nationally. Drs. Fleming and Cuccurullo described what they did in response to these questions. A Question & Answer period followed.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/34843630
info_outline
Dr. Sara Cuccurullo and Dr. Talya Flemming: Investigating and Analyzing the Effect of a Comprehensive Stroke Recovery Program, Part 1
01/15/2025
Dr. Sara Cuccurullo and Dr. Talya Flemming: Investigating and Analyzing the Effect of a Comprehensive Stroke Recovery Program, Part 1
The introduction is done by Dr. Steven Flanagan, Chairperson of the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health. Sara Cuccurullo MD is Professor and Chairman, Residency Program Director in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Rutgers- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Medical Director, VP at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute; and Physician in Chief of HMH Rehabilitation Care Transformation Services Talya Flemming MD is Medical Director: Stroke Recovery Program, Post-COVID Rehabilitation Program, Aftercare Program ABMS, Brain Injury Medicine Certified JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Core Associate Professor, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Part 1 Dr. Cuccurullo began by discussing their stroke recovery program, specifically investigating and analyzing the effects of a comprehensive initiative on all-cause mortality, function, and readmissions. She listed the learning objectives for today’s grand round presentation. Strokes are the number one admission in their inpatient rehab facility. Twenty-two percent of their patients comply with going to the facility. Their patients have a finite resource for Medicare once they leave inpatient or the acute care setting. Payment caps compromise the ability to have outpatient therapies that prevent them from having a full recovery. Dr. Flemming pointed out that there is an overlap with patients who have neurologic disease after stroke as well as patients who have cardiac disease. So, they designed their program to combine both elements of neurorehabilitation and a modified cardiac rehabilitation program, which starts with an outpatient visit with a stroke physiatrist. Common challenges that need to be addressed are patients with: weakness on their one side versus the other, cognitive or attention deficits, poor safety awareness, and post-stroke fatigue. They decided that it would be important to collect medical and functional outcome data to see if the program could affect hospital readmissions, the recurrence of stroke, and overall mortality.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/34843615
info_outline
Kate Parkin, Mary Reilly, Angela Stolfi, and Christina Tafurt: Clinical Practice of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, Part 4
12/30/2024
Kate Parkin, Mary Reilly, Angela Stolfi, and Christina Tafurt: Clinical Practice of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, Part 4
Catherine Parkin serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, , She co-authored the book, Medical aspects of disability for the rehabilitation professionals in 2017 by the Springer Publishing Company. Mary Regina Reilly has served as the Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langue Health for the last ten years. Her Master’s Degree is from Columbia University and she did her fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. Clinical concentration has focused on pediatric dysphagia with medically complex infants with additional efforts in developing specialty programs for adults with acquired neurogenic disorders. She was instrumental in assisting in the development of the Masters of Science Program in Communication Sciences at Yeshiva University and has served as an adjunct professor at both Mercy College and NYU Steinhardt. Dr. Angela Stolfi is the Director of Physical Therapy, Director of Therapy Services at Rusk Ambulatory Satellite Locations, Site Coordinator of PT Clinical Education, and Director of PT Residency and Fellowship Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health. Dr. Stolfi holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU School of Medicine and regularly lectures in the physical therapy programs at both NYU and the University of Scranton. The focus of much of her current and recent research relates to mentoring and education of student physical therapists. She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy (JCEPT). Maria Cristina Tafurt is the Site Director at the Rusk Institute NYU Langone Medical Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases. She has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 30 years receiving her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rosario in Bogata Colombia, and her Advance Master’s degree from NYU University. Her clinical experience has varied with an emphasis on brain injury rehabilitation, pain management, hand therapy, and orthopedics. She holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and has authored or co-authored sixteen articles, abstracts and international presentations in her field. The discussion covered the following topics: influence of artificial intelligence, and research endeavors pertaining to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/34461070
info_outline
Kate Parkin, Mary Reilly, Angela Stolfi, and Christina Tafurt: Clinical Practice of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, Part 3
12/18/2024
Kate Parkin, Mary Reilly, Angela Stolfi, and Christina Tafurt: Clinical Practice of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, Part 3
Catherine Parkin serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, , She co-authored the book, Medical aspects of disability for the rehabilitation professionals in 2017 by the Springer Publishing Company. Mary Regina Reilly has served as the Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langue Health for the last ten years. Her Master’s Degree is from Columbia University and she did her fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. Clinical concentration has focused on pediatric dysphagia with medically complex infants with additional efforts in developing specialty programs for adults with acquired neurogenic disorders. She was instrumental in assisting in the development of the Masters of Science Program in Communication Sciences at Yeshiva University and has served as an adjunct professor at both Mercy College and NYU Steinhardt. Dr. Angela Stolfi is the Director of Physical Therapy, Director of Therapy Services at Rusk Ambulatory Satellite Locations, Site Coordinator of PT Clinical Education, and Director of PT Residency and Fellowship Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health. Dr. Stolfi holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU School of Medicine and regularly lectures in the physical therapy programs at both NYU and the University of Scranton. The focus of much of her current and recent research relates to mentoring and education of student physical therapists. She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy (JCEPT). Maria Cristina Tafurt is the Site Director at the Rusk Institute NYU Langone Medical Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases. She has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 30 years receiving her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rosario in Bogata Colombia, and her Advance Master’s degree from NYU University. Her clinical experience has varied with an emphasis on brain injury rehabilitation, pain management, hand therapy, and orthopedics. She holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and has authored or co-authored sixteen articles, abstracts and international presentations in her field. The discussion covered the following topics: involvement of informal caregivers in treatment, staying on top of new developments, use of assistive technology, provision of care via telehealth, and impact of Long Covid on patient care.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/34461055
info_outline
Kate Parkin, Mary Reilly, Angela Stolfi, and Christina Tafurt: Clinical Practice of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, Part 2
12/04/2024
Kate Parkin, Mary Reilly, Angela Stolfi, and Christina Tafurt: Clinical Practice of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, Part 2
Catherine Parkin serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, , She co-authored the book, Medical aspects of disability for the rehabilitation professionals in 2017 by the Springer Publishing Company. Mary Regina Reilly has served as the Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langue Health for the last ten years. Her Master’s Degree is from Columbia University and she did her fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. Clinical concentration has focused on pediatric dysphagia with medically complex infants with additional efforts in developing specialty programs for adults with acquired neurogenic disorders. She was instrumental in assisting in the development of the Masters of Science Program in Communication Sciences at Yeshiva University and has served as an adjunct professor at both Mercy College and NYU Steinhardt. Dr. Angela Stolfi is the Director of Physical Therapy, Director of Therapy Services at Rusk Ambulatory Satellite Locations, Site Coordinator of PT Clinical Education, and Director of PT Residency and Fellowship Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health. Dr. Stolfi holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU School of Medicine and regularly lectures in the physical therapy programs at both NYU and the University of Scranton. The focus of much of her current and recent research relates to mentoring and education of student physical therapists. She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy (JCEPT). Maria Cristina Tafurt is the Site Director at the Rusk Institute NYU Langone Medical Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases. She has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 30 years receiving her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rosario in Bogata Colombia, and her Advance Master’s degree from NYU University. Her clinical experience has varied with an emphasis on brain injury rehabilitation, pain management, hand therapy, and orthopedics. She holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and has authored or co-authored sixteen articles, abstracts and international presentations in her field. The discussion in Part Two covered the following topics: types of patients treated, impact of health care disparities, and patient cooperation in health care interventions by providers.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/33985052
info_outline
Kate Parkin, Mary Reilly, Angela Stolfi, and Christina Tafurt: Clinical Practice of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, Part 1
11/20/2024
Kate Parkin, Mary Reilly, Angela Stolfi, and Christina Tafurt: Clinical Practice of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, Part 1
Catherine Parkin serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, , She co-authored the book, Medical aspects of disability for the rehabilitation professionals in 2017 by the Springer Publishing Company. Mary Regina Reilly has served as the Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langue Health for the last ten years. Her Master’s Degree is from Columbia University and she did her fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. Clinical concentration has focused on pediatric dysphagia with medically complex infants with additional efforts in developing specialty programs for adults with acquired neurogenic disorders. She was instrumental in assisting in the development of the Masters of Science Program in Communication Sciences at Yeshiva University and has served as an adjunct professor at both Mercy College and NYU Steinhardt. Dr. Angela Stolfi is the Director of Physical Therapy, Director of Therapy Services at Rusk Ambulatory Satellite Locations, Site Coordinator of PT Clinical Education, and Director of PT Residency and Fellowship Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health. Dr. Stolfi holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU School of Medicine and regularly lectures in the physical therapy programs at both NYU and the University of Scranton. The focus of much of her current and recent research relates to mentoring and education of student physical therapists. She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy (JCEPT). Maria Cristina Tafurt is the Site Director at the Rusk Institute NYU Langone Medical Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases. She has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 30 years receiving her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rosario in Bogata Colombia, and her Advance Master’s degree from NYU University. Her clinical experience has varied with an emphasis on brain injury rehabilitation, pain management, hand therapy, and orthopedics. She holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and has authored or co-authored sixteen articles, abstracts and international presentations in her field. The discussion covered the following topics in Part One: a description of each of the three professions, educational requirements to become practitioners, and recruitment and retention of clinicians.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/33985022
info_outline
Dr. Heidi Fusco, Alaina B. Hammond, Dr. Jessica Rivetz: Traumatic Brain Injury, Part 3
11/06/2024
Dr. Heidi Fusco, Alaina B. Hammond, Dr. Jessica Rivetz: Traumatic Brain Injury, Part 3
Dr. Heidi Fusco is an assistant professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU LANGONE Health and the Rusk Rehabilitation hospital. She is the Assistant Director of the Traumatic Brain Injury Program at Rusk and the Medical Director of the Brain Injury Unit at Queens Nassau Nursing and Rehabilitation. She completed a fellowship in Brain injury Rehab in 2013 at the Rusk Institute and is board certified in Brain Injury medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Alaina B. Hammond is a board certified rehabilitation psychologist and currently serves as Clinical Assistant Professor and Staff Psychologist in the NYU Langone Rusk Adult Inpatient - Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. She provides psychological and neuropsychological intervention and assessment to patients and families with acquired brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and other illness/injuries. In addition, she supervises psychology interns and enjoys researching family/caregiver adjustment to medical illness. Dr. Jessica Rivetz is the current Brain Injury Medicine Fellow at NYU Rusk Rehabilitation. She recently completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at NYU Rusk. She received her MD degree at Albany Medical College, and also has a Master's of Science in health care management. Extracurricular activities include serving as co-chairperson of the NYU GME House Staff Patient Safety Council. Within brain injury medicine, she has a special interest managing patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury and helping them and their caregivers navigate life after brain injury and achieve their functional and quality of life goals. Part 3 The discussion covered the following topics: phases of treatment when mindfulness and self-compassion can be introduced to achieve optimal effectiveness; the role of telehealth; extent to which a group-based approach is used; availability of commercialized digital resources on the Internet, such as apps; use of wearable devices by patients; and the impact of artificial intelligence on patient care.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/33376687
info_outline
Dr. Heidi Fusco, Alaina B. Hammond, Dr. Jessica Rivetz: Traumatic Brain Injury, Part 2
10/23/2024
Dr. Heidi Fusco, Alaina B. Hammond, Dr. Jessica Rivetz: Traumatic Brain Injury, Part 2
Dr. Heidi Fusco is an assistant professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU LANGONE Health and the Rusk Rehabilitation hospital. She is the Assistant Director of the Traumatic Brain Injury Program at Rusk and the Medical Director of the Brain Injury Unit at Queens Nassau Nursing and Rehabilitation. She completed a fellowship in Brain injury Rehab in 2013 at the Rusk Institute and is board certified in Brain Injury medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Alaina B. Hammond is a board certified rehabilitation psychologist and currently serves as Clinical Assistant Professor and Staff Psychologist in the NYU Langone Rusk Adult Inpatient - Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. She provides psychological and neuropsychological intervention and assessment to patients and families with acquired brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and other illness/injuries. In addition, she supervises psychology interns and enjoys researching family/caregiver adjustment to medical illness. Dr. Jessica Rivetz is the current Brain Injury Medicine Fellow at NYU Rusk Rehabilitation. She recently completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at NYU Rusk. She received her MD degree at Albany Medical College, and also has a Master's of Science in health care management. Extracurricular activities include serving as co-chairperson of the NYU GME House Staff Patient Safety Council. Within brain injury medicine, she has a special interest managing patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury and helping them and their caregivers navigate life after brain injury and achieve their functional and quality of life goals. Part 2 The discussion covered the following topics: persistence of sleep disorders and the role of physical exercise in treating them; definition of mindfulness; kinds of interventions included under the heading of mindfulness; examples of how it aims to address the severity of various TBI-related health problems; duration of mindfulness treatment; and self-compassion as another type of non-pharmacological intervention.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/33376657
info_outline
Dr. Heidi Fusco, Alaina B. Hammond, Dr. Jessica Rivetz: Traumatic Brain Injury, Part 1
10/09/2024
Dr. Heidi Fusco, Alaina B. Hammond, Dr. Jessica Rivetz: Traumatic Brain Injury, Part 1
Dr. Heidi Fusco is an assistant professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU LANGONE Health and the Rusk Rehabilitation hospital. She is the Assistant Director of the Traumatic Brain Injury Program at Rusk and the Medical Director of the Brain Injury Unit at Queens Nassau Nursing and Rehabilitation. She completed a fellowship in Brain injury Rehab in 2013 at the Rusk Institute and is board certified in Brain Injury medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Alaina B. Hammond is a board certified rehabilitation psychologist and currently serves as Clinical Assistant Professor and Staff Psychologist in the NYU Langone Rusk Adult Inpatient - Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. She provides psychological and neuropsychological intervention and assessment to patients and families with acquired brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and other illness/injuries. In addition, she supervises psychology interns and enjoys researching family/caregiver adjustment to medical illness. Dr. Jessica Rivetz is the current Brain Injury Medicine Fellow at NYU Rusk Rehabilitation. She recently completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at NYU Rusk. She received her MD degree at Albany Medical College, and also has a Master's of Science in health care management. Extracurricular activities include serving as co-chairperson of the NYU GME House Staff Patient Safety Council. Within brain injury medicine, she has a special interest managing patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury and helping them and their caregivers navigate life after brain injury and achieve their functional and quality of life goals. Part 1 The discussion covered the following topics: concussions and TBIs; pediatric care; use of biomarkers; common causes of a TBI; common symptoms and their length of duration; involvement of informal caregivers; and occurrence of sleep disorders.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/33376647
info_outline
Dr. Steven DeKosky: CTE History, Questions and Future Directions, Part 2
09/25/2024
Dr. Steven DeKosky: CTE History, Questions and Future Directions, Part 2
Dr. Steven DeKosky is professor of Alzheimer’s research at the University of Florida College of Medicine and Deputy Director of the McKnight Brain Institute at that institution. He also is a professor of neurology and neuroscience there. Previously, he served as vice president and dean of the University of Virginia School of Medicine and was chairperson of the department of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh. Part 2 For the short-term, with mild to moderate traumatic injury you can have altered synaptic structure and function. For the longer term, chronic inflammation and chronic oxidative stress can lead to subsequent degeneration and also some chronic microglial activation, which may turn on mechanisms that you do not necessarily want, including cleaning up partially injured neurons that may recover. Especially in patients who get the disease in an older age, there is other pathology in the CTE. There are nerve fibrillary tangle and Lewy body. Amyloid beta can be elevated in both white matter and grey matter and might add to the cascade that is thought amyloid leads to, which leads to degeneration especially Alzheimer’s disease, but cannot prove it. Participants in contact sports all are at significant risk. APOE 4 increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and the risk of tau deposition. Currently, when patients arrive for rehabilitation, they are going to have things a lot better described than was the case previously. We can look at disruption of structures, see hemorrhage and inflammation. We know that CTE is not a new disease, but we do see the pathology in other contact sports and we do not view it in autopsy series unless the individual had a history or repetitive head injury. A Question & Answer period followed.
/episode/index/show/ruskinsights/id/33022167