Neuthesis @ EcCare Health Centers

EcCare Health Centers developed efforts to provide a variety of services characterized by work conditioning, work hardening, chronic pain management, traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, neuropsychological assessment and treatment, and impairment rating services for injured workers. Our services are also some times related to children, adolescents, adults and mature adults (geriatrics). All services can be provided in English or Spanish; as well as other languages in collaboration with available Interpreter Services.

Work Conditioning

Work Conditioning is designed to assist an injured worker to recondition his cardiovascular and musculoskeltal system for the purpose of returning to the work force so that their original work is more likely to be acomplished fully and safely. Work conditioning is designed for injured workers that have recovered to the point of being pain free or not affected by their pain. Our work conditioning program begins by having a functional capacity evaluation and an examination by a physician in order to obtain a starting point of the patient's capability and to insure that the patient can participate in the program safely. The work conditioning progarm usually lasts about two weeks and the patient participates about 4 hours a day along with homework assignments related to increaseing exercise tolerance levels.

Work Hardening

Work Hardening is designed to assist an injured worker that has finished the normal efforts of rehabilitation but has continued to have significant pain and discomfort. Work Hardening combines the elements of work conditining and psychology to recondition his cardiovascular and musculoskeltal system and retrain the patient's mind to learn to tolerate levels of pain for the purpose of returning to the work force so that they are more likely to be able to return to some form of work that can be accomplished safely. Work Hardening is designed for injured workers that have recovered to the point of having already received a full complement of medical treatment, but have continued to have limitations of work capability secondary to continued pain and deconditioning. Our work hardening program begins by having a psychological evaluation, functional capacity evaluation and an examination by a physician in order to obtain a starting point of the patient's capability and to insure that the patient can participate in the program safely. The work hardening progarm usually lasts about two to four weeks and the patient participates about 6 to 8 hours a day. During this time the injured worker is assisted by a multidisciplined team that includes a psychologist, therapist/chiropractor, and physician. Weekly meetings of collaberation by the professionals involved in treatment are performed in order to give the patient a best medical effort to return to the work force.

Chronic Pain Program

Our Chronic Pain Program is designed to assist an injured worker that has finished the normal efforts of rehabilitation but has continued to have diabling pain or discomfort. Chronic Pain Program combines some of the elements of work conditining, and work hardening, but has an emphaisis of the psychological effects of pain. Sometimes these patients can be trained and learn how to tolerate their discomfort to the point they can return to the work force. Sometimes these patients are unable to return to the work force and need to learn new thinking skills so that they can even perform activities of daily living. Chronic Pain Program is designed for injured workers that have recovered to the point of having already received a full complement of medical treatment as well as work hardening, but have continued to have limitations of activities of daily living or work capability secondary to continued pain and deconditioning. Our chronic pain management program begins by having a psychological evaluation, functional capacity evaluation and an examination by a physician in order to obtain a starting point of the patient's capability and to insure that the patient can participate in the program safely. The chronic pain managment progarm usually lasts about four to eight weeks and the patient participates about 6 to 8 hours a day. During this time the injured worker is managed primarily by the psychologist, but is also assisted by a multidisciplined team that includes a therapist/chiropractor, and physician. Weekly meetings of collaberation by the professionals involved in treatment are performed in order to give the patient a best medical effort to return to the work force.

Medical Rehabilitation (Multidisciplinary)

Adult Neuropsychological Services

Adult Neuropsychology Services provide assessments and treatment recommendations for the following conditions:

Traumatic Brain Injuries, suspected memory problems; cognitive and emotional effects of various neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, stroke, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), brain tumors, and Parkinson’s Disease; effects of brain injury; differential diagnosis of suspected dementia in elderly patients; alterations in mental status associated with various medical conditions; attention-deficit disorders; learning and developmental disorders; and various psychiatric conditions.

Rehabilitation/Health Psychology Services

Rehabilitation and Health Psychology Services are available to serve persons with neurologic (including spinal cord injury, stroke, neuromuscular disease, and brain injury), pulmonary, orthopedic, chronic illness, chronic pain conditions, as well as insomnia. Behavioral and psychological interventions are provided to aid the patients and their families in coping with acute medical conditions, chronic illness, and disability.

Rehabilitation/Health Psychology Addresses Issues Related to:

• Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS)
• Psychological functioning
• Cognitive functioning
• Adjustment to traumatic injury or impairment
• Development of coping skills
• Family adjustment and coping
• Community reintegration following impairment
• Sexuality
• Insomnia
• Pain

Maximum Medical Improvement & Impairment Ratings

When an injured worker has completed his medical treatment a judgment needs to be made as to whether there are any additional venues of treatment that are likely to improve the patient's functional capabilities. If there are additional venues of treatment that will benefit the patient we can assist the process of identifying the need for additinal medical treatment by preparing a report that presents the facts of the patient's case to demonstrate that maximum medical improvement has not been achieved. If Maxiumum Medical Improvement has been achieved we can perform the examination and provide a report of the patient's percentage of impairment. We are also capable of performing examinations and providing reports with reference to Extent of Injury, Disability, Return to Work, and others. Normally in Texas the guide that is used for calculating impairment is the 4th edition of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. However, if the injured worker's case has a jurisdiction of another state or the federal government we can also provide reports related to the 5th and 6th editions.