Gaylord Hospital and the School of Medicine have developed a new program in physical medicine and rehabilitation that underscores their common interest in advancing the field of rehabilitation medicine.
As part of this affiliation, Yale's department of orthopaedics and rehabilitation has established a new section of rehabilitation and recruited two Gaylord physicians -- Drs. David S. Rosenblum and Alyse B. Sicklick -- to serve on its clinical faculty.
The new program is designed to provide treatment to both in- and out-patients. "We will offer a seamless continuum of care for patients who experience a wide range of musculoskeletal problems, as well as cardiac, neurologic and pulmonary disorders that require rehabilitation services," says Dr. Gary E. Friedlaender, professor and chair of orthopaedics and rehabilitation at Yale.
"With Gaylord's recognized expertise in rehabilitation, we will be able to bring this talent directly into the acute care setting," he adds. "Rehabilitation will begin at the earliest possible time following a patient's injury or diagnosis, thereby facilitating a long-term patient care strategy that will be efficient, effective and cost conscious." As part of the new program, Drs. Rosenblum and Sicklick will provide consultative services with other physicians affiliated with Yale's department of orthopaedics and rehabilitation, as well as physicians in the departments of neurology, internal medicine, neurosurgery and geriatrics.
The collaboration will also "enhance our educational missions and will provide a platform for research and creative new developments," says Dr. Friedlaender.
The new program evolved from a formal affiliation established in 1991 between the Yale medical school and Gaylord, a 101-bed not-for-profit rehabilitation hospital located in Wallingford, Connecticut. It will draw on Yale researchers' expertise in the fields of spine disorders, total joint replacements, arthritis surgery, sports medicine, hand and upper extremity care, oncology, pediatric orthopaedics, and foot and ankle care.
Physiatry, the medical specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation, naturally complements these interests because it deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disability by injury or acute or chronic disease, according to Dr. Jerrold L. Kaplan, Gaylord's medical director.
While many people think only of physical therapy when they hear the word "rehabilitation," the scope of physiatry is much greater, explains Dr. Kaplan. "Physiatrists deal with the whole patient in terms of rehabilitation and medication management issues. Physiatrists offer medical expertise in rehabilitation medicine and function. They also consider other medical issues in patient care, including bowel and bladder care, skin care, spasticity, mobility and activities of daily living."
In initiating this new program, Yale joins an increasing number of medical schools in the United States that offer an expanded physical medicine and rehabilitation focus.
For further information, call 203-785-2579; for a consultation request, call 203-737-5656.