Drake Center has long been known as a regional leader in stroke recovery care, providing specialized inpatient and outpatient neurorehabilitative services. Now, combined with physicians and researchers from the University of Cincinnati's internationally-recognized Stroke Team, we've developed the Stroke Recovery Center at Drake, a continuum of inpatient and outpatient, interdisciplinary stroke recovery care and research.

Patients may access one or multiple levels of service based on their medical condition:

• Inpatient Long-Term Acute Care (LTAC) or Transitional Skilled Nursing care for the stroke patient whose complex, high-level condition requires extended inpatient care and meets Drake's admission requirements.
• Specialized outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapies provided by therapists experienced in neurorehabilitation using state-of-the-art equipment. Patients who complete this treatment may be recommended for inclusion in stroke research studies or our new Stroke Team Assessment and Recovery Treatment (START) Program.
• The START Program is for stroke survivors who have completed standard treatment and want a second opinion from an interdisciplinary team of medical, therapy and research specialists to determine if a fuller recovery might be possible. If so, a personalize care plan is developed. This service is available for patients who have already completed standard treatments, from those a few months to several years post-stroke.
• Research studies testing the latest stroke recovery techniques and tools. The care provided as part of these research studies are at no cost to the patient.
• Wellness and conditioning programs, including aquatics.

Ideal Patients Are:

• Patients being discharged from an acute care hospital and ready to begin their recovery from stroke. Some patients might be appropriate for Drake's LTAC or transitional skilled nursing care; most would benefit from Drake's specialized outpatient therapies.
• Patients who have completed their standard therapeutic treatments, even those who are years post-stroke, and are seeking a fuller recovery. These patients may benefit from the START Program to help regain skills.

Benefits of the Stroke Recovery Center at Drake:

• Interdisciplinary team of neurologists, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, occupational, physical and speech therapists, neuropsychologists and researchers specialized in neurorehabilitation.
• The area's only neurorehabilitation research lab, providing patients access to the latest therapy approaches and technologies.
• Speech language pathologists who identify and treat the cognitive and physical conditions that inhibit speech and comprehension. Augmentative communication can also be provided when needed.
• State-of-the-art equipment such as the BalanceMaster, Gait Rite, Bioness, Saeboflex and driver simulator, as well as the area's only warm water therapy pool with a moveable floor for easy patient access.
• Various levels of care available to meet a variety of patient needs
• Affiliation with the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati's University Hospital and the UC Neuroscience Institute, extending the experience and expertise of their internationally known Stroke Team to the next step in stroke treatment-helping patients regain skills and rebuild their lives after stroke.

Introducing the START Program

For patients who are months or years post-stroke but passionate about a fuller recovery, we've developed the Stroke Team Assessment and Recovery Treatment (START) Program. This innovative program, one of the first of its kind in the country, begins with a two-hour assessment with a team of seven clinical specialists to determine if additional resources, treatments or research studies might be helpful. Then, the team outlines a personalized treatment plan for continued recovery.

Traditional medical wisdom has told stroke patients that they have a few months to regain function before they need to accept and adapt to their new limitations. But through the Stroke Recovery Center at Drake, many patients have made dramatic progress sometimes several years post-stroke.

"We are not promising miracles, or a complete recovery. We are promising to go beyond the standard treatment, to take a fresh look from a combined expert perspective and, with patient approval, even test the newest treatments and tools to help stroke survivors get the fullest recovery possible."

                                                   --Brett Brett Kissela, M.D., Neurologist & Co-Director, Stroke Recovery Center at Drake

Features of the new START Program:

• Two-hour assessment by an interdisciplinary team specializing in stroke, including a neurologist; physical medicine and rehabilitation; physical, occupational and speech therapists; neuropsychologist and researchers.
• Personalized interdisciplinary plan to address patient needs.
• Regular assessments to check patient progress and determine next steps in the patient's care plan.
• Access to specialized equipment and services such as the BalanceMaster, Gait Rite, Bioness, Saeboflex and driver simulator, as well as the area's only warm water therapy pool with moveable floor for easy patient access.
• Consideration for participation in stroke recovery research, providing access to cutting-edge technology and treatments.

Ideal Patients for the START Program:

Patients a few months to several years post-stroke who have completed standard treatments and want to review their condition to determine if a fuller recovery is possible.

Physician Leadership:

• Brett Kissela, M.D., Neurologist, Co-Director
• Samir Belagaje, M.D., Neurologist
• Mark Goddard, M.D., Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Co-Director

Payment

We bill third-party payors, as well as accept self-pay patients.

For questions or referrals, call 513-418-2470.