Brain Injury Association honours LGH rehab program for service excellence

“It was like I was being helped by angels. That’s actually how I felt about it.”

These are the emotional words of patient Brad Alden, who after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke, was referred to the Intensive Rehabilitation Out-Patient Program (IROP) at Lions Gate Hospital last October.

Last week, IROP was honoured for service excellence as one of the 10 best B.C. rehab programs by the B.C. Brain Injury Association (BCBIA) at its annual Showcase and Celebration for Brain Injury. An estimated 22,000 people sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) each year in B.C.

Since its inception in June 2011, IROP has helped more than 525 clients, ranging in age from 16 to 102 years old, transition from hospital to home sooner. Brad spent about six weeks in the program working intensely with a speech language pathologist, occupational therapist and physiotherapist.

Click here to watch Brad share his experience working with the dedicated team of rehab therapists at LGH’s IROP.

Meet the “angels”

The IROP team includes: Physiotherapists Catalina Sanchez and Sydney Morrison, Occupational Therapist Susan Bittel, Speech-Language Pathologist Julia Baylis, Rehabilitation Assistant Meran Keshavarzi, Registered Nurse Catherine Robinson and Social Worker Jennifer Allen. Barb Ferreira is the program manager.

The importance of this event was not lost on the team, who were delighted to be part of the showcase.

“It was a great opportunity to be part of the review and the showcase,” the team said. “It recognizes the effort the team has made over the last five years in evolving the program to provide the best rehab service we can for our clients.”

The event, which was held at Coast Coal Harbour Hotel last Thursday, also provided IROP staff the opportunity to network with other teams and see how varied and creative the support can be for people with ABI in the community.

Strengths and success factors

According to the BCBIA, IROP’s strengths and success factors are:

• The program accepts all diagnoses
• IROP screens its own patients and the team has developed a solid set of eligibility criteria that has been effective in identifying who would benefit most from its services. IROP is constantly reviewing and improving all its processes, including intake forms to improve patient care.
• The program being hospital-based has facilitated collaboration with referral sources and smooth transitions home
• The interdisciplinary nature of the team and strong communication between team members have contributed to IROP being able to truly provide holistic treatment
• IROP does not have a waitlist. Patients begin the program within a week of discharge.

But you don’t need to tell Brad what IROP’s strengths are. He’s a perfect example of their success.

“(IROP) set me up to succeed in my life from this point forward,” said Brad.

For a full list of programs showcased last week, which included another VCH entry at GF Strong, go to http://www.brainstreams.ca/conference

Meet the IROP team: Jennifer Allen (l-r), Susan Bittel, Julia Baylis, Catherine Robinson, Catalina Sanchez, Barb Ferreira (Program Manager, Ambulatory Care & Clinical Support/Chemo Clinic) and Meran Keshavarzi. (Missing from the photo is physiotherapist Sydney Morrison.)