The National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research (NIDRR) has identified eighteen hospitals across the United States as Spinal Cord Injury Model System Hospitals. These institutions offer exceptional "systems of care" that integrate the latest research and education findings into spinal cord injury treatment and rehabilitation.
Spinal Cord Injury Model System Hospitals are at the forefront of cutting-edge research aimed at developing innovative treatments and evaluating service delivery for comprehensive spinal cord injury medical care. Their innovations span from new clinical interventions and pharmaceutical treatments to experimental interventions like stem cell implantation and electrical stimulation. Additionally, they focus on developing assistive technology such as voice-recognition and computer adaptations, as well as manual and electric wheelchairs designed to minimize pressure sores and reduce contractures. Other advancements include robotics, like exoskeleton mobility devices, and artificial intelligence to enhance communication and promote independence, ultimately enhancing quality of life.
These hospitals also conduct various clinical trials and interventional studies to test new drugs, medical devices, and clinical procedures aimed at improving functionality and daily living for individuals with spinal cord injuries. Information on these activities, as well as how to participate in spinal cord clinical study registries to stay informed about new studies and research findings, is provided below. Additionally, eligibility criteria for clinical trial participants are outlined for those interested in participating.
The Baylor Scott & White Spinal Cord Injury Model System (BSW-SCIMS) is a nationally recognized program that supports innovative clinical care and research to evaluate medical, rehabilitation, vocational and other services to meet the needs of individuals with SCI. It provides the largest continuum of care to individuals with SCI in North Texas and surrounding states, which includes emergency medical services, acute care, rehabilitation, and outpatient services.
The Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Model System (MI-SCIMS) aims to expand and enhance health management for all individuals living—and aging—with SCI in Michigan and throughout the United States. MI-SCIMS participates in the SCIMS National Database, which is the world’s most extensive SCI database, containing information on almost 50,000 people injured since 1973.
MI-SCIMS also disseminate resources and training to individuals with SCI, their families and caregivers, health care professionals, and the public in order to facilitate a continuum of care that extends from Emergency Medical Services at the time of injury to outpatient vocational services and long-term follow-up.
The Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center is operated by the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago), a world-renown state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital that provides spinal cord injury care at all stages of recovery. It is the first-ever “translational” research hospital where clinicians, scientists, innovators and technologists work together in the same space, applying research real time. Click on Clinical Trials to identify current studies underway and in recruitment of participants. AdditionalPatient and Family Education information is available through the AbilityLab LIFE Center.
Medical rehabilitation programs and services at Mount Sinai address a wide variety of needs, from first onset of disability through long-term – even life-long – management of conditions such as spinal cord and brain injuries, stroke, amputation, chronic pain, sports injuries and other physical and cognitive challenges. Mount Sinai’s Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) unit comprises the only SCI service in NYC accredited by CARF. The Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Center is especially well prepared to work with patients who may have complex medical needs. Four beds in the SCI unit are dedicated for the rehabilitation of individuals who are ventilator-dependent.
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MedStar Health offers comprehensive inpatient, day treatment, and outpatient care components—offering top quality services from onset of illness or injury through a successful transition to home, community, and employment.
Patients in the Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program benefit from their robust research and access to clinical trials of new rehab interventions. They focus on the whole person, helping patients meet the challenges they face physically, medically, and socially, allowing them to reach the highest level of health and independence possible.
Located in Santa Clara, CA, the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s (SCVMC) Rehabilitation Research Center (RRC) is dedicated to improving patient care by investigating innovative treatments, identifying and promoting factors associated with prevention and resilience, and understanding the continuum of care from acute care through community reintegration.
Kessler Rehabilitation Institute, located in West Orange, NJ, provides state-of-the-art care for individuals with spinal cord injury and their families. The rehabilitation team integrates advanced treatment, proven therapies and leading-edge technologies, such as body-weight-supported treadmill training to improve gait performance, and pharmacological interventions for spasticity. Kessler also offers programs to help individuals reintegrate into daily life, such as support groups for patients and families, vocational counseling, and a Driver Rehabilitation Program to encourage greater personal independence.
Craig Hospital in Englewood, CO offers state-of-the-art facilities and expert staff for the care of spinal cord injuries. Free on-campus housing units are offered to family members to encourage family support. The large number of patients with similar ages, backgrounds and injuries promotes hope through friendships and peer counseling. Click on Education & resources at the top toolbar to access interactive library resources on spinal cord injury.
The South Florida Spinal Cord Injury Model System is operated by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. This CARF-accredited in-patient rehabilitation program provides a comprehensive multidisciplinary team of physiatrists, physical and occupational therapists, psychologists, rehabilitation nurses, and other rehabilitation specialists. The program is based at Jackson Memorial Hospital, a 1,500 bed Level I trauma hospital. After completion of in-patient rehabilitation, spinal cord injury patients often continue with out-patient therapy and receive life-long out-patient medical care in the program’s Spinal Cord Injury clinics. The program is actively involved in clinical research and also maintains a close relationship with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis to ensure unique opportunities for improving health and wellness and additional opportunities to participate in research studies.
The Southeastern Regional SCI Model System at Shepherd Center is the largest of the country’s 14 Model Systems of Care for spinal cord injury. Shepherd Center has formulated and tested many projects that are now part of programs offered to patients, including: vocational services, peer support groups, community outreach, an advocacy program, a spinal cord injury prevention program and the Adventure Skills Workshop.
Shepherd Center is dedicated to collaborating heavily with other systems; and to establishing a line of research on quality of life, adjustment to injury, secondary complications and community reintegration issues.
Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center has over 50 years of experience providing quality care for persons with physical disabilities. It has been a pioneer in the interdisciplinary team approach to patient care. Patients are treated by highly specialized teams dedicated to specific disability categories such as spinal cord injury, brain injury, etc. This allows caregivers to develop an expertise unmatched in the Region. This level of expertise is supported by millions of dollars in grant and research monies administered by the Los Amigos Research and Education Institute, Inc. (LAREI).
The Spaulding New England Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center is committed to promoting quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injury throughout their lives, through exemplary standards of care and rehabilitation advanced through research, education, advocacy, and ongoing support. A variety of consumer education materials can be found in the Patient Handouts sections of the website.
The TIRR (The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research) Memorial Hermann is a leader in spinal cord injury (SCI) research. The Spinal Cord Injury and Disability Research Center (SCIDR) is the home of the Texas Model Spinal Cord Injury System (TMSCIS), which aims to improve functional recovery, health and quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), and other physical disabilities.
Located at the Spain Rehabilitation Center in Birmingham, AL, the UAB Spinal Cord Injury Model System offers individualized care for both adolescents and adults with an emphasis on family participation in the recovery process. Patients’ families are encouraged to attend therapy education sessions to improve continued care at home.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) on Spinal Cord Injury provides comprehensive team-based treatment by physicians, therapist, and vocational rehabilitation specialists. This facility is heavily involved in spinal cord injury research, with in-depth investigation on assistive technology and care and treatment of spinal cord injuries to enhance quality of life. The Center also contributes to the assessment of life-long outcomes of individuals with spinal cord injury through enrollment of participants in the National Spinal Cord Injury Database. Fact sheets to support Living with SCI are provided from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center as well as other scholarly and consumer publications.
The Consortium initial focus is on two research studies, including the use of noninvasive electrical stimulation, to improve both arm and hand muscle mass and nerve function. The second proposed study will identify specific sources of health inequities following SCI, which aims to identify practical solutions that can improve rehabilitation access and health outcomes for people from rural areas, as well as racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.
