Foundation For Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation ...



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FAST FACTS ON REHABILITATION

• More than 15 million Americans were diagnosed with heart disease last year; another 1.4 million were victims of traumatic brain injury; 700,000 Americans suffered a stroke while 300,000 had hip or knee replacements and 11,000 incurred a spinal cord injury. All of these patients could benefit from the services of a rehabilitation specialist (physiatrist.)

• According to the 2005 US Census, 1 in 8 American children (over 5.5 million individuals) live with some kind of disability.

• A recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation showed that 67% of Americans felt they could benefit from treatment by a rehabilitation doctor.

• Rehabilitation doctors – called “physiatrists” – are nerve, muscle and bone experts who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how people move. They treat patients who suffer from many kinds of illnesses, a sports or on-the-job injury, or chronic pain with a goal of decreasing pain and restoring function without surgery. These disabilities may be due to low back, shoulder and neck pain, tendonitis, arthritis, osteoporosis, sports injuries, or involve more complex conditions such as spinal cord injuries, stroke and cardiac rehabilitation and traumatic brain injuries.

• A rehabilitation physician will evaluate both the negative effects of the disease or injury as well as the patient’s prior status, factoring in the individual’s physical abilities, emotional state, family support, education and even spiritual resources. After this analysis, a comprehensive recovery program is developed involving, as appropriate, physical and speech therapists, neurologists, psychologists and social workers.

• The physiatry specialty (rehabilitation medicine) was started by Dr. Frank Krusen, a physician who treated injured servicemen returning from World War II. Dr. Krusen’s goal was to help the veterans return to civilian life. Rehabilitation physicians are currently involved in helping our military personnel returning from Iraq.

• There are currently 8,000 rehabilitation doctors in the United States.

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ABOUT THE FOUNDATION FOR PHYSICAL MEDICINE

& REHABILITATION

The Foundation for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (FPM&R) is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt not-for-profit organization committed to helping physicians restore function and enhance the quality of life for individuals with disability by advancing the science of physiatry (PM&R).

The mission of the Foundation for PM&R, as affirmed by the 2011 Strategic Planning Meeting, is as follows:

“The Foundation for Physical Medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Enhances Health, Function and Quality of Life for Individuals with Disability Through Rehabilitative Research and Education.”

The vision statement guiding these goals and strategies is as follows:

“The Foundation for PM&R is a leader in organizing, directing, funding and collaborating on rehabilitative research and supporting the research infrastructure to determine the most cost-effective, efficacious care for individuals with disability, for the purpose of enhancing health, function and quality of life.”

The key goals driving our annual strategic plan are:

Goal A: Drive the Evidence Base for Cost-effective, Results-oriented Rehabilitative Care

Goal B: Cultivate the Next Generation of Researchers

Goal C: Build Rehabilitative Research Capacity

Goal D: Promote the Value of Rehabilitative Care

History

Originally founded as the ERF-PMR by a group of physicians in Texas in 1985, the Foundation was organized under its current name in 2002. With $2.5 million in assets, the Foundation is the largest private group dedicated solely to supporting PM&R research. Approximately 75% of the Foundation’s annual income is contributed by individual donors.

Programs

The cornerstone and primary focus of all Foundation for PM&R efforts is our very successful Research Awards and Grants program. We have provided seed grants to over 40 young investigators; the results from greater than 80% of these pilot studies have been presented at educational meetings and more than half were published in peer-reviewed journals. Two-thirds of Foundation-funded projects have been used to obtain funding for larger investigations. (See next page for more information.)

The Research Capacity Building Initiative is another way the Foundation encourages and supports new rehabilitation researchers by assisting institutions that wish to develop a physiatric research program. A Foundation task force published a white paper on “Best Practices for Building a Successful Research Center in an Academic Medical Center” in a major peer-reviewed medical journal, and presented a workshop based on the white paper at two major continuing medical education programs, which is currently available online free of charge. The Initiative also developed the Physiatric Research Resources Database, a comprehensive guide to funding sources, mentors, educational programs and other resources for researchers. It is available online, free of charge, and is updated annually.

Every 2-3 years, the Foundation partners with other leading organizations in rehabilitation care to convene Summit Meetings. These events focus on various current topics in rehabilitation medicine.

We also have rehabilitation awareness programs, including the American Rehabilitation Champion, a patient education brochure, a quarterly newsletter and Annual Report, as well as semi-annual Rehab 5k Run/Walk & Roll fundraising events.

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FPM&R RESEARCH AWARDS AND GRANTS PROGRAM

Since 2010 the Foundation has more than doubled our support for physiatric research, to a total of well over $100,000 per year. However, we currently receive six to eight times as many applications as we have grants available, and at least one-third of those unfunded projects have clear merit in improving treatment. Our goal is to continue to increase funding and expand the number and scope of grants we provide each year.

RICHARD MATERSON ERF NEW INVESTIGATOR AWARDS

Over twenty years ago, while in private practice in Houston, Dr. Richard Materson and his wife Rosa (with a small group of colleagues) spearheaded the birth of the PM&R Education and Research Fund. This Fund, which was dedicated to supporting physiatric research, eventually became the Foundation for PM&R. In 2009, the Foundation named our New Investigator Awards in honor of Dr. Materson. Each Award provides a $10,000 seed grant to a physiatrist 5 years or less out of an accredited PM&R residency program for an outstanding physiatric research project.

SCOTT F. NADLER PASSOR MUSCULOSKELETAL RESEARCH GRANTS

Scott Nadler, DO was a physiatrist with a passion for sports medicine and an unrelenting desire for truth as a clinician and researcher. In 2004, the Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation (PASSOR) established a grant to support research on physiatric rehabilitation of musculoskeletal conditions in his name. PASSOR entrusted that grant to the Foundation in 2006.

Össur Prosthetic/Orthotic Research Grant

Össur Americas Inc. generously provided a three-year grant to the Foundation for PM&R to fund research into applications of prosthetics/orthotics in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. The unbiased selection process is conducted by the Foundation for PM&R Awards and Grant Review Committee.

Gabriella E. Molnar-Swafford, MD Pediatric PM&R Research Grant

Mr. Jack Swafford and other donors have generously made contributions to the Foundation for PM&R to recognize and honor the worldwide contributions of Dr. Gabriella E. Molnar-Swafford and to continue her work through an annual pediatric PM&R research and leadership grant.

Mid-career Investigator Research Grant

In response to requests from past grant recipients, the Foundation for PM&R created a Mid-career Investigator Research Grant. Eligible applicants include any physiatrist or faculty member in a division or department of physical medicine and rehabilitation who is at least 5 and not more than 20 years post-completion of a terminal degree and subsequent training program. The award is to be used as seed money for new research projects that extend the applicant’s work in new directions.

Acorda Neurologic Rehabilitation Research Grant

Acorda Therapeutics Inc. has provided a grant to the Foundation for PM&R for research on neurologic rehabilitation in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. The unbiased selection process will be conducted by the Foundation for PM&R Awards and Grant Review Committee with no input from our corporate supporter. In 2012/13, we will provide the first award in the amount of $10,000.

Justus Lehmann Research Grant

The Justus Lehmann Research Grant is supported by contributions made in Dr. Lehmann’s memory. The award is a grant for research on a topic related to biomechanics/biophysics in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Appropriate topics include (but are not limited to) the biomechanics of gait, prosthetics and/or orthotics, and the biophysics of modalities. In 2012/13, we will provide the first award in the amount of $10,000.

Rehabilitation Research Experience for Medical Students

Since 2008, the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) and the Foundation for PM&R have partnered to offer the Rehabilitation Research Experience for Medical Students (RREMS) grants. This program provides a $4,000 stipend to medical students to experience the rewards of scholarly research within the specialty of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation through an eight-week summer externship.

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