Patient and Provider Experiences With Compassionate Care in Virtual Physiatry: Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Telemedicine in the realm of rehabilitation includes the remote delivery of rehabilitation services using communication technologies (eg, telephone, emails, and video). The widespread application of virtual care grants a suitable time to explore the intersection of compassion and telemedicine, especially due to the impact of COVID-19 and how it greatly influenced the delivery of health care universally. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore how compassionate care is understood and experienced by physiatrists and patients engaged in telemedicine. METHODS: We used a qualitative descriptive approach to conduct interviews with patients and physiatrists between June 2021 and March 2022. Patients were recruited across Canada from social media and from a single hospital network in Toronto, Ontario. Physiatrists were recruited across Canada through social media and the Canadian Association for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (CAPM&R) email listserve. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: A total of 19 participants were interviewed-8 physiatrists and 11 patients. Two themes capturing physiatrists' and patients' experiences with delivering and receiving compassionate care, especially in the context of virtual care were identified: (1) compassionate care is inherently rooted in health care providers' inner intentions and are, therefore, expressed as caring behaviors and (2) virtual elements impact the delivery and receipt of compassionate care. CONCLUSIONS: Compassionate care stemmed from physiatrists' caring attitudes which then manifest as caring behaviors. In turn, these caring attitudes and behaviors enable individualized care and the establishment of a safe space for patients. Moreover, the virtual care modality both positively and negatively influenced how compassion is enacted by physiatrists and received by patients. Notably, there was large ambiguity around the norms and etiquette surrounding virtual care. Nonetheless, the flexibility and person-centeredness of virtual care cause it to be useful in health care settings.

Meralgia Paresthetica: A Report of a Rare Case.

Meralgia paresthetica (MP) is a painful condition caused by damage or constriction of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN). This entrapment condition typically arises due to various factors, including trauma, pelvic tumors, external compression from belts or snug attire, and weight gain. The prognosis is generally favorable since most cases are self-limiting or respond to conservative treatment. We present the case of a 53-year-old overweight man, with no relevant medical history, who was a victim of a traffic accident in October 2023 which resulted in polytrauma, according to the Case Reports (CARE) checklist. The main complaint of the patient was tingling of the left thigh, with dysesthesia to gentle rubbing along the anterolateral surface. After a diagnostic study, a diagnosis of post-trauma MP was thus established, probably due to seat-belt compression of the LFCN, and physiatric treatment was initiated. With the assistance of ultrasound, a large hematoma was seen, above the inguinal ligament with drainage of 140ccc of serosanguineous fluid with resolution of the symptoms. This case emphasizes the importance of a physiatry consultation for a correct diagnosis and focuses on the main complaint of a polytrauma patient.

Dysphagia and Enteral Feeding After Stroke in the Rehabilitation Setting.

Physiatrists play a vital role in post-stroke dysphagia management not only by providing guidance on the risks, benefits, and efficacy of various treatment options but also as advocates for patients' independence and quality of life. While swallow study results are often discussed broadly by acute stroke clinicians as "pass/fail" findings, physiatrists need a more nuanced working knowledge of dysphagia diagnosis and treatment that encompasses swallow pathophysiology, targeted treatment strategies, and prognosis for recovery. To that end, this review summarizes current clinical practice guidelines on dysphagia, nutrition and oral care, risks and benefits of differing enteral access routes, prognostic factors, and approaches to rehabilitation.

Pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation: Fellowship website content comprehensiveness evaluation.

This cross-sectional analysis of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) fellowship program websites in the United States assesses their comprehensiveness based on 43 variables commonly sought by applicants. The study found that 30% of programs had a direct link to the PRM fellowship page, with limited information on criteria such as education resources, research stipend, mentorship opportunities, and fellow wellness. The results underscore the need for improved accessibility, content expansion, and yearly link maintenance. These improvements could enhance the applicant experience, foster informed decisions, and streamline the application process. The findings offer a roadmap for PRM fellowships to better align their online platforms with applicant needs, reflecting the current shift toward virtual interactions in the post-pandemic era.

Assessment of the Study Habits of Residents in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Programs in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Residents in training must employ a variety of study strategies, as they not only participate in academic studies but also interact with patients. This study aimed to evaluate the study practices and factors affecting those practices among Saudi Arabian physical medicine and rehabilitation residents during their residency program. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a previously used questionnaire was distributed to Saudi Arabian physiatry residents from July 1 to August 15, 2022, via a social media platform and completed using a Google Forms survey. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was used to collect, clean, and import the data before IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 22.0 was utilized for statistical analysis. Results: The data of 94.91% of respondents were included in the analysis. Individuals who were female, unmarried or divorced, and without children predominated. Only 17.9% (n = 10) of the residents believed that their training program effectively prepared them to pass the board examination, which was the most strongly motivating factor for studying for 85.7% of respondents. Over two-thirds of the residents mentioned that they regularly exercise. Residents who studied more than 11 hours per week had a significantly lower score in the category of factors that negatively affect examination performance (M = 12.33 ± 2.82, F = 2.794, P < 0.05). Females, final-year residents, and Riyadh residents studied more than their counterparts. Conclusion: Our study is the first to investigate how Saudi physiatrists study, with the finding that current physiatry residents employ a combination of traditional and contemporary learning strategies. This information can help stakeholders to understand current training challenges, improve the quality of training for physiatry residents, and create an ideal learning environment.

Palliative Care Education in US Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Programs: Current Practices, Perceived Needs, and Barriers.

Background: Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) clinicians commonly care for patients with serious illness/injury and would benefit from primary palliative care (PC) training. Objective: To assess current practices, attitudes, and barriers toward PC education among U.S. PM&R residencies. Design: This is a cross-sectional study utilizing an electronic 23-question survey. Setting/Subjects: Subjects were program leaders from U.S. PM&R residency programs. Results: Twenty-one programs responded (23% response). Only 14 (67%) offered PC education through lectures, elective rotations, or self-directed reading. Pain management, communication, and nonpain symptom management were identified as the most important PC domains for residents. Nineteen respondents (91%) felt residents would benefit from more PC education, but only five (24%) reported undergoing curricular change. Lack of faculty availability/expertise and teaching time were the most endorsed barriers. Conclusion: PC education is heterogeneous across PM&R programs despite its perceived value. PC and PM&R educators can collaborate to build faculty expertise and integrate PC principles into existing curricula.

Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Physicians: Your Essential Medical Home Neighbors for Children with Disabilities.

Pediatric rehabilitation medicine (PRM) physicians are subspecialists in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation trained to promote the health and function of children with disabilities (CWD) across their lifespans. Management strategies employed include prescribing medications, therapy, and adaptive equipment (braces and mobility devices) to optimize function and allow participation. PRM physicians collaborate with other providers to mitigate the negative consequences of health conditions and injuries. Their work is interdisciplinary because CWD with either temporary or permanent impairments needs treatments, services, and support that extend beyond the clinical environment. Owing to this, PRM physicians are essential members of the health neighborhood for CWD.

Interdisciplinary Care Provided in a Rural Setting to Patient with Below-Knee Amputation.

As a result of severe injury, limb amputation remains a pivotal procedure to preserve residual function of an injured extremity. Complications following amputation can impact successful rehabilitation. This case report aims to highlight the clinical importance of interdisciplinary care demonstrated by a 65-year-old Caucasian male below-knee amputee (BKA) who presented to an amputee clinic with complaints of right distal tibia pain. He reported that he was seen at a small rural clinic and was told he had "deterioration of his tibia". Physical exam revealed a well-healed below-knee amputation stump with tenderness to palpation of the right lateral distal residual fibula. Upon prosthetic modifications managed by our prosthetist, the patient's symptoms persisted. Further work up by Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) revealed a sharp edge to the distal fibula and the need for surgical revision by plastic surgery. Conditions resulting from the initial operation left this patient with factors that significantly impacted the process of restoring function to this BKA. Management of care for amputees commonly involves a variety of healthcare provider consisting of, but not limited to, primary care, physiatrists, prosthetists, plastic surgeons, and physical and occupational therapists. The aim of this case report is to illustrate how the fundamental collaboration rooted in interdisciplinary care is paramount to ensure that comprehensive care is delivered to this complex patient population that reside in rural areas.

Patient experiences receiving rehabilitation care via telehealth: Identifying opportunities for remote care.

Use of telehealth has grown substantially in recent times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote care services may greatly benefit patients with disabilities; chronic conditions; and neurological, musculoskeletal, and pain disorders, thereby allowing continuity of rehabilitation care, reducing barriers such as transportation, and minimizing COVID-19 exposure. In March 2020, our rehabilitation hospital, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, launched a HIPAA-compliant telemedicine program for outpatient and day rehabilitation clinics and telerehabilitation therapy programs. The objective of this study was to examine patients' experiences and satisfaction with telemedicine in the rehabilitation physician practice, including novel virtual multidisciplinary evaluations. The present study examines survey data collected from 157 patients receiving telemedicine services at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab from December 2020-August 2021. Respondents were 61.8% female, predominantly White (82.2%) with ages ranging across the lifespan (69.4% over age 50 years). Diagnostic categories of the respondents included: musculoskeletal conditions 28%, chronic pain 22.3%, localized pain 10.2%, neurological conditions 26.8%, and Parkinson's and movement disorders 12.7%. Survey responses indicate that the telemedicine experiences were positive and well received. The majority of participants found these services easy to use, effective, and safe, and were overall satisfied with the attention and care they received from the providers-even for those who had not previously used telehealth. Respondents identified a variety of benefits, including alleviating financial and travel-related burdens. There were no significant differences in telehealth experiences or satisfaction across the different clinical diagnostic groups. Respondents viewed the integrated physician and rehabilitation therapist telehealth multidisciplinary model favorably, citing positive feedback regarding receiving multiple perspectives and recommendations, feeling like an integrated member of their healthcare team, and having a comprehensive, holistic team approach along with effective communication. These findings support that telemedicine can provide an effective care model in physiatry (physical medicine and rehabilitation) clinics, across different neurological, musculoskeletal, and pain conditions and in multidisciplinary team care settings. The insights provided by the present study expand our understanding of patient experiences with remote care frameworks for rehabilitation care, while controlling for institutional variation, and ultimately will help provide guidance regarding longer term integration of telemedicine in physiatry and multidisciplinary care models.

Horseback Riding-Related Injuries in Portugal and Prevention Strategies.

CONTEXT: Horse riding (HR) has gain popularity in Portugal, thereby increasing the number of related injuries. This study identifies frequently occurring injuries in Portuguese riders, the conditions under which they occur, and preventive measures. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. METHODS: We included 216 Portuguese riders practicing HR at the time of the study with ≥1 year of experience. Data were obtained from a questionnaire that characterized first and second rider injuries; we opted for a systematic method to assess the riders' injuries, in a temporal order. Questions regarding demographic data, sports-related background, systematic training workload, number and characteristics of the first 2 injuries, and the need for treatment were included in the questionnaire. RESULTS: Most first and second injuries were musculoskeletal, occurred from falling off the horse during training, and primarily affected the lower limb. Rehabilitation was required in almost 50% of all cases. The occurrence of injury was significantly associated with the number of days of training per week, years of experience, height and weight of the rider, and practice of another sport. Riding different horses was also significantly associated with the number of injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequently occurring injuries during HR are musculoskeletal and in the extremities. Injury prevention is essential in HR, as most riders have at least one injury while practicing. Rehabilitation should involve a physiatrist and core strengthening exercises.

First year impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric physiatrists.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the work and compensation of pediatric physiatrists during the first year of the pandemic. METHODS: Pediatric physiatrists were surveyed in the spring of 2021 about how the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their practices as a part of a larger survey examining pediatric rehabilitation medicine practices. The COVID-19 specific questions covered three topic areas: 1) personal experiences with COVID-19; 2) occupational workflow changes due to COVID-19, including telehealth; and 3) employment consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Thirteen of 259 pediatric physiatrists reported having a COVID-19 infection, of whom none required hospitalization. Nearly all (96.5%) of pediatric physiatrists reported using telehealth during the pandemic compared to 14% prior to the pandemic. They reported numerous changes to their clinical operations, and 50% reported not having adequate personal protective equipment available for themselves or their staff all of the time. Fifteen pediatric physiatrists (5.9%) reported being furloughed, and three reported job loss during the first year of the pandemic. CONCLUSION: While only a small percentage of pediatric physiatrists contracted COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic, nearly all experienced workflow changes.

Aproximación a la práctica clínica del médico fisiatra y su desarrollo en Chile / Approach to clinical practice for Physiatrists or PM&R physicians and its development in Chile

Introducción: la actividad médica no acaba cuando la enfermedad remite. Así lo han demostrado las personas con COVID-19 grave, que no hablan de recuperación hasta meses después del egreso hospitalario. Bajo esta premisa amerita profundizar en el rol de la Medicina física y Rehabilitación. Materiales y Métodos: se realizó una revisión de la literatura en revistas de habla hispana e inglesa indexadas en bases de datos científicas. Los criterios de búsqueda fueron dirigidos a los objetivos: definir fisiatría y su posición dentro del modelo sanitario, conocer sus áreas de desempeño y la realidad nacional. Resultados: la fisiatría es la especialidad médica que se encarga de optimizar el funcionamiento de las personas mediante técnicas y estrategias de rehabilitación. Una vez establecido el diagnóstico trimodal, el fisiatra propone objetivos que involucren a todo el equipo rehabilitador, previo acuerdo con el paciente y su familia. Se encuadra bajo el modelo biopsicosocial y su espectro de acción comprende toda condición de salud o patología -congénita o adquirida- que genere una disfunción física, cognitiva o emocional, una limitación en la actividad o algún grado de restricción en la participación. A pesar del desarrollo de casi 60 años de la especialidad en Chile, existe desconocimiento en torno a ella y su alcance clínico. Discusión: parece importante contar en Chile con canales y agentes de difusión sobre el papel que juega la fisiatría como un recurso que eficientiza la restitución de las personas; deben promoverse líneas de investigación, desarrollo de subespecialidades y la descentralización de sus atenciones.

Introduction: Medical activity does not end when the disease remits. This has been demonstrated by patients with severe COVID-19, who do not speak of recovery until months after hospital discharge. Under this premise, the role of Physical medicine and rehabilitation deserves to be studied in depth. Materials and Methods: A literature review was conducted in Spanish and English language journals indexed in scientific databases. Search criteria were refined with the following objectives: to define Physiatry and its position within the health model, recognize its areas of performance, and describe the national context. Results: Physiatry is the medical specialty responsible for optimizing the functionality of people through rehabilitation techniques and strategies. Once the trimodal diagnosis is established, the physiatrist proposes objectives that involve the entire rehabilitation team and prior agreement with the patient and family. It is framed under the biopsychosocial model. Its range of action includes any health condition or pathology -congenital or acquired- that generates a physical, cognitive or emotional dysfunction, a limitation in activities, or any degree of restriction in participation. Despite 60 years of development in Chile, there is a lack of knowledge about this specialty and its potential clinical applicability. Discussion: It seems essential to create channels for dissemination of the role played by Physiatry in Chile as a resource that makes people's restitution more efficient, as well as promoting lines of research, development of subspecialties, and decentralization of care

A Proposal for Expansion of the Medical Specialty of Rehabilitation Medicine.

The workforce of the medical specialty of Rehabilitation Medicine (RM) in the UK is 10 times less than the European average for the specialty of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM). This can be explained partly by the difference in the scope of practice within the specialty between the UK and other European countries and USA. This opinion paper aims to compare the rehabilitation needs in chronic medical conditions and compare the scope of practice between countries within Europe and other regions of the world. The potential advantages of a broader remit specialty to improve rehabilitation care for patients by involving rehabilitation physicians in various medical conditions is explored. Recommendations have been put forward in the Rehabilitation Medicine Expansion Proposal (RMEP), which is likely to make the medical specialty of RM/ PRM more satisfying for the doctors working in the specialty and a more attractive career choice for those entering training in the specialty. There is a need for an international universal framework for the scope of the specialty to have a greater impact on improving the lives of those with chronic medical conditions.

Reversing the Ruin: Rehabilitation, Recovery, and Restoration After Stroke.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Stroke is a common cause of disability in aging adults. A given individual's needs after stroke vary as a function of the stroke extent and location. The purpose of this review was to discuss recent clinical investigations addressing rehabilitation of an array of overlapping functional domains. RECENT FINDINGS: Research is ongoing in the domains of movement, cognition, attention, speech, language, swallowing, and mental health. To best assist patients' recovery, innovative research has sought to develop and evaluate behavioral approaches, identify and refine synergistic approaches that augment the response to behavioral therapy, and integrate technology where appropriate, particularly to introduce and titrate real-world complexity and improve the overall experience of therapy. Recent and ongoing trials have increasingly adopted a multidisciplinary nature - augmenting refined behavioral therapy approaches with methods for increasing their potency, such as pharmaceutical or electrical interventions. The integration of virtual reality, robotics, and other technological advancements has generated immense excitement, but has not resulted in consistent improvements over more universally accessible, lower technology therapy.

Social media and the practice of pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation in the COVID-19 pandemic: A new era in patient-care.

Social media represents a significant source of health information for the public, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic where gatherings are limited. It is important for pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians to understand how their patients use these platforms in order to educate the public and provide sound medical advice on social media. Given the lack of current guidelines on medical education through social media, the purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of various online social media platforms and describe how they can be utilized to enhance pediatric patient education. It is necessary to understand the different educational functions and limitations of the various social media platforms. This text provides a comprehensive overview of different social media platforms, their educational uses, limitations, and sample accounts. Relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic, social media can improve the efficiency of educational delivery and clinic workflow. Although social media is not meant to replace physician-patient relationships, it can be used as a surrogate for health information and improve- even start- physician-patient relationships. Despite the benefits of social media, pediatric physiatrists may be hesitant to utilize these platforms for several reasons. This text provides an overview of common barriers to social media usage by physicians and recommendations to overcome them. Given that the pandemic has led to increased social media usage, physicians should be aware of its implications on patient care and how they can be used to enhance the practice of pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation. As social media usage by both patients and physicians grows, more research is needed to create recommendations on how pediatric physiatrists can best utilize social media to educate the public in an enjoyable manner while maintaining a professional image.

Patient satisfaction with virtual evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of CRPS.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased reliance on virtual care in the rehabilitation setting for patients with conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Aims: The aim of this study was to perform a quality improvement initiative to assess patient satisfaction and ensure that outcomes following virtual assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of CRPS with prednisone are safe and effective. Methods: An online survey was distributed to 18 patients with CRPS who had been seen virtually between March and December 2020 through a rehabilitation clinic and treated with oral prednisone. Thirteen participants completed the survey, which was designed de novo by our team to evaluate participant perceptions and satisfaction regarding the virtual care experience. Also included in the survey was a CRPS-specific validated patient-report questionnaire (Hamilton Inventory for CRPS: PR-HI-CRPS), which allowed participants to describe their specific symptoms and associated functional and psychosocial impacts, both previously (pretreatment baseline) and at the time of survey (posttreatment). Results: CRPS symptoms and related impacts were scored as significantly improved from baseline following treatment with prednisone. Likert scale results from survey responses related to patients' experiences and satisfaction with the virtual care process were analyzed; the majority of patients reported satisfaction with a virtual appointment for evaluation of CRPS, as well as with subsequent treatment decisions based on virtual assessment. Conclusions: This quality improvement study suggests that virtual care is a potential option for a patient-accepted approach to overcoming challenges with in-person care imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and could help inform future considerations in addressing geographic and patient-specific disparities in access to specialist care for CRPS.

Contexte: La pandémie de COVID-19 a donné lieu à un recours accru aux soins de réadaptation virtuels pour les patients souffrant d'affections telles que le syndrome douloureux régional complexe (SDRC).Objectifs: L'objectif de cette étude était de réaliser une initiative d'amélioration de la qualité afin d'évaluer la satisfaction des patients et de veiller à ce que les suites à l'évaluation, au diagnostic et au traitement virtuel du SDRC par la prednisone soit sûres et efficaces.Méthodes : Un sondage en ligne a été distribué à 18 patients atteints de SDRC qui avaient été vus virtuellement entre mars et décembre 2020 par le biais d'une clinique de rééducation et qui avaient été traités par prednisone orale. Treize participants ont répondu au sondage, qui avait été conçu de novo par notre équipe, afin d'évaluer les perceptions et la satisfaction des participants à l'égard de leur expérience de soins virtuels. Le sondage comprenait aussi un questionnaire validé par le patient propre au SDRC, (le Hamilton Inventory for CRPS: PR-HI-CRPS), qui a permis aux participants de décrire leurs symptômes spécifiques, ainsi que les effets fonctionnels et psychosociaux qui y étaient associés précédemment (avant le traitement) et à la date de l'enquête (post-traitement).Résultats: Les notes accordées par les participants ont révélé que les symptômes du SDRC et leurs répercussions s'étaient significativement améliorés aprés le traitement par la prednisone. Les résultats sur l'échelle de Likert découlant des réponses aux questions de l'enquête sur l'expérience des patients et leur satisfaction à l'égard du processus de soins virtuels ont été analysés. La majorité des patients se sont déclarés satisfaits du rendez-vous virtuel pour l'évaluation du SDRC, ainsi que des décisions de traitement ultérieures basées sur l'évaluation virtuelle.Conclusions: Cette étude d'amélioration de la qualité suggére que les soins virtuels sont une option envisageable en tant qu'approche acceptée par le patient pour surmonter les difficultés liées aux soins en personne imposées par la pandémie de COVID-19. Elle pourrait donc aider à éclairer les considérations futures dans le traitement des disparités géographiques et les celles qui sont spécifiques aux patients dans l'accés aux soins spécialisés pour le SDRC.

Efficacy of Radiofrequency as Therapy and Diagnostic Support in the Management of Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Radiofrequency (RF) is a minimally invasive procedure used to interrupt or alter nociceptive pathways for treating musculoskeletal pain. It seems a useful tool to relieve chronic pain syndromes, even if, to date, solid evidence is still needed about the effectiveness of this therapy. By this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of RF in treating musculoskeletal pain. PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, and PEDro databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) presenting the following: patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain as participants; RF as intervention; placebo, anesthetic injection, corticosteroid injection, prolotherapy, conservative treatment, physiotherapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as comparisons; and pain and functioning as outcomes. Continuous random-effect models with standardized mean difference (SMD) were used to compare the clinical outcomes. Overall, 26 RCTs were eligible and included in the systematic review. All of them analyzed the efficacy of RF in four different regions: cervical and lumbar spine, knee, sacroiliac (SI) joint, shoulder. The outcomes measures were pain, disability, and quality of life. A medium and large effect in favor of the RF treatment group (SMD < 0) was found for the shoulder according to the Visual Analogical Scale and for the SI joint according to the Oswestry Disability Index. A small effect in favor of the RF treatment group (SMD > 0) was found for the spine according to the 36-item Short Form Survey. Non-significant SMD was found for the other outcomes. RF represents a promising therapy for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain, especially when other approaches are ineffective or not practicable. Further studies are warranted to better deepen the effectiveness of RF for pain and joint function for each anatomical region of common application.

Multi-disciplinary rehabilitation for management of diabetes mellitus related neurological and musculoskeletal complications.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is one of the most common metabolic disorders in the world. It can result in several neurological and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. These conditions adversely affect the mobility, community functioning and quality of life for the patient with DM. Rehabilitation Medicine Physicians (Physiatrists) can offer both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for the accurate diagnosis and optimal management of neurological and MSK conditions associated with DM. These include diagnostic tests such as Nerve Conduction Studies and Electromyography, therapeutic interventions in form of pharmacological management of symptoms, prescription of appropriate physical therapy, occupational therapeutic exercise, injections, as well as psychosocial and cognitive interventions. A physiatrist can provide expert advice on musculoskeletal disorders in patients with DM, as they are formally trained in the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of MSK conditions. A multidisciplinary team for DM should include a physiatrist as one of the key members. This can help effectively address neurological and MSK disorders related to DM.

Creating a resident-centric rehabilitation research team.

BACKGROUND: The 36-month Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) or Physiatry residency provides a number of multidisciplinary clinical experiences. These experiences often translate to novel research questions, which may not be pursued by residents due to several factors, including limited research exposure and uncertainty of how to begin a project. Limited resident participation in clinical research negatively affects the growth of Physiatry as a field and medicine as a whole. The two largest Physiatry organizations - the Association of Academic Physiatrists and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation - participate in the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), seeking to improve the state of rehabilitation and disability research through funding opportunities by way of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). A paucity of new Physiatry researchers neutralizes these efforts. RESULTS: This paper details the creation of a novel, multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Resident Research program that promotes resident research culture and production. Mirroring our collaborative clinical care paradigm, this program integrates faculty mentorship, institutional research collaborates (Neuroscience Nursing Research Center, Neuroscience Research Development Office) and departmental resources (Shark Tank competition) to provide resident-centric research support. CONCLUSIONS: The resident-centric rehabilitation research team has formed a successful research program that was piloted from the resident perspective, facilitating academic productivity while respecting the clinical responsibilities of the 36-month PM&R residency. Resident research trainees are uniquely positioned to become future leaders of multidisciplinary and multispecialty collaborative teams, with a focus on patient function and health outcomes.

Social Determinants of Health in Physiatry: Challenges and Opportunities for Clinical Decision Making and Improving Treatment Precision.

Physiatry is a medical specialty focused on improving functional outcomes in patients with a variety of medical conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons. Social determinants of health (SDH) play a key role in determining therapeutic process and patient functional outcomes. Big data and precision medicine have been used in other fields and to some extent in physiatry to predict patient outcomes, however many challenges remain. The interplay between SDH and physiatry outcomes is highly variable depending on different phases of care, and more favorable patient profiles in acute care may be less favorable in the outpatient setting. Furthermore, SDH influence which treatments or interventional procedures are accessible to the patient and thus determine outcomes. This opinion paper describes utility of existing datasets in combination with novel data such as movement, gait patterning and patient perceived outcomes could be analyzed with artificial intelligence methods to determine the best treatment plan for individual patients in order to achieve maximal functional capacity.