Injuries and dysfunction resulting from occupational
and sports injuries are appropriate for physiatric evaluation.
(Physiatrist is a physician of physical medicine and rehabilitation.)
Patients' problems are generally complex
and require a multi-disciplinary approach coordinated by
the physiatrist, functions of the primary care physician
and specialists for medical issues such as spasticity,
bowel and bladder dysfunction, musculoskeletal problems
and complications associated with disability. Areas managed
by rehabilitation clinicians include mobilities, self care,
communication, swallowing and rehabilitation for vocation,
education, recreation and psychological adjustment to disability.
Rehabilitation professionals include physical therapists,
occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists,
care managers, prosthetists, and orthotists or creational
therapists, vocational specialists and teachers. Some patients
with limited impairments, such as musculoskeletal issues
may require only a subset of these services.
The intensity of rehabilitation services provide varieties
according to the patient's severity of illness. Hospitalized
patients generally receive treatment one or two times per
day, five to seven times per week, with patients in the
intensive care unit receiving shorter sessions than those
on the rehabilitation services or other wards.
Treatments provided in subacute settings to selected patients
generally are five times per week. For other subacute patients,
outpatients and home therapy, it is more common to treat
less frequently. The duration of ongoing therapy varies
according to each patient's condition. Regardless of the
setting, therapy is not considered justified after functional
plateaus have been reached.
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