The Drake Center News Feed

Drake Center Resident Lands a Personal Performance

Mon, 01 Mar 2010

CINCINNATI, OH - Long-time Drake Center resident, Gayle Anderson, has always loved the arts and opera. She learned about an art appreciation program for the disabled called Visionaries and Voices. Gayle was matched with V&V coordinator, Christine Mayhew, who, for about a year has visited weekly helping Gayle learn creative expression through her love of the arts. Christine arranged for an on-site opera performance during Fine Arts Week for Gayle and other residents at Drake on Thursday, February 18, at 12:30 p.m. As if that wasn't enough, the performance is being arranged by renowned Cincinnati Opera Artistic Director, Evans Mirageas, who will bring with him two opera singers and piano accompaniment.

Interested media can meet in Drake Center's Main Lobby
at 12:30 p.m. to be escorted to the 2 South Day Room.

Drake Center is the leading provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care in the region, offering a complete range of inpatient and outpatient care. Services include long-term acute care, transitional skilled nursing, research, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. For more information, visit www.DrakeCenter.com or call 513-418-2500.

Study to Reduce Brain Damage in Future TBI Patients

Fri, 05 Feb 2010

WHEN 10:30-11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 5

WHERE Drake Center; Cincinnati, Ohio (Media: Meet in West Pavilion Lobby)

WHO * Lori Shutter, MD, Director of Neurocritical Care at the UC Neuroscience Institute at University Hospital
* Brendan Wiese, traumatic brain injury survivor and support group member. Since his car accident in 2004, Brendan has been passionate about helping others with traumatic brain injury. He is available for an interview to share his feelings about the possibility that future patients with TBI could be helped by this new clinical trial.

WHAT Dr. Shutter will speak to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) support group about an important new clinical trial that will help determine whether administering the hormone progesterone to patients within hours of a moderate to severe TBI can reduce brain damage and swelling and improve mental and physical outcomes.

The trial, called ProTECT, is national in scope. It is important because there is no effective medical treatment for traumatic brain injury, the leading cause of death and disability among people aged 1 to 44.

UC is required to inform the public about the trial because people who are enrolled will be unconscious and unable to give their consent.

Here is a link to a news release about the trial. http://healthnews.uc.edu/news/?/9745/

UC is one of 17 academic medical centers nationwide involved with the Neurological Emergencies Treatment Trials (NETT), a permanent research framework that investigates promising new treatments for traumatic brain injury, seizures, and stroke. A brochure about this research framework can be e-mailed upon request.

CONTACT Cindy Starr
Media Relations Specialist
The Mayfield Clinic
UC Neuroscience Institute
(513) 558-3505 (o)
(513) 378-6125 (cell)

A Christmas to Remember for Families in Need

Mon, 21 Dec 2009

Cincinnati - More than 25 Hartwell families affected by this year's economic downturn were treated to holiday festivities today at Drake Center including lunch, horse-drawn trolley rides, entertainment, and gifts from Santa when he arrived aboard a City of Cincinnati fire truck from Engine Company #2.

"The Hartwell Business Community Presents Christmas at Drake!" was sponsored by Drake Center and the Hartwell Improvement Council with support by numerous area businesses.

Families were invited to participate and submit their Christmas "Wish Lists" earlier this month. Area businesses and staff at Drake volunteered to "sponsor" the families by providing gifts from their "Wish Lists" and making donations toward the "Christmas at Drake" event where the families became Drake's special guests from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

"This day would not be possible without all of us working together to create holiday memories of a lifetime for these children," said event organizer, Cynthia Walker, Drake Center's community liaison coordinator. "The generosity of the Hartwell businesses has been tremendous, and Drake plans to make it an annual event."

Generous sponsors who contributed to the event and sponsored families include:

Catered Food Sponsors:? Penn Station, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, Kroger - Hartwell and Finneytown, Cosmic Pizza, LaRosa's - Wyoming, Servatii's, Gold Star Chili, Skyline Chili.

Event Sponsors:? Lowe's Springdale, Garden Ridge, Walgreen's, National City Bank/PNC Bank, City of? Cincinnati Fire Division, Home Depot?Colerain and Columbia Township Locations, HobbyTown USA, City Cure Ballet Princesses, St. Xavier High School Jazz Band, MOJO 100.3 Radio, CVS, Family Dollar.

Drake Center Receives 2009 Platinum Award

Mon, 09 Nov 2009

CINCINNATI - Drake Center has received the 2009 Platinum Award for best community relations campaign from HealthLeaders Media for its 9/11 event honoring first responders.

On September 11, 2008 Drake held a community event to memorialize lives lost on 911, and to honor all first responders. More than 22 local agencies participated in the event to showcase their equipment and "learning stations" including: bomb squad, SWAT team, water rescue, mounted patrol, smoke house, Air Care, canine units, fire trucks and more. There was also a memorial march, ceremony, and free concert by the Ohio Military Band.

"Over the years, Drake has developed a special closeness to first responders since many of them are treated here after sustaining serious injuries on the job," says Karen Bankston, Chief Site Executive at Drake. "This campaign was our way of engaging the community to join us in honoring them.? The HealthLeaders Award affirms our efforts," she adds.

The winning campaigns were selected based on four criteria:? 1) how well the organization defined its objectives and strategy 2) how well the campaign aligned with the goals and objectives 3) measurement and return on investment, and 4) creativity, message, and quality. Platinum, gold, silver, and distinction awards were given to small, medium, and large hospitals nationwide in each category for campaigns launched during 2008.

About Drake Center:? Drake is the leading provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care in the region. It offers a complete range of inpatient and outpatient care, including long-term acute care, transitional skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. For more information, visit DrakeCenter.com or call 513-418-2500.

About HealthLeaders Media: HealthLeaders is a leading multimedia company dedicated to meeting the business information needs of more than 160,000 healthcare executives and key decision makers nationally.

Anne Blevins Named National Outstanding Researcher for 2009

Tue, 22 Sep 2009

Cincinnati - Anne Blevins, BSN, RN, WCC, WOCN, Wound Care Clinical Coordinator at Drake Center, was named 2009 Outstanding Researcher in Wound Care by the National Alliance of Wound Care (NAWC) at its annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 10-12. NAWC is a multi-disciplinary professional organization for wound care certification and membership offering credentialing to nurses, therapists, physicians and their assistants.

"Anne is a passionate nurse specialist and progressive researcher who has helped shape our advanced wound care program," said Karen Bankston, Chief Site Executive. "We are extremely proud to have her at Drake."

Criteria for the award includes collaboration, communication and mentoring in advanced wound care all of which Blevins is actively involved. She has authored and co-authored numerous clinical posters and case studies published in recent issues of wound care journals and presented at several wound care conferences. She promotes utilization of research with patient care at Drake, and is currently working with the research and development staff of a national vendor on the design and usage of equipment for negative pressure therapy on wounds.

Blevins, who lives in Maineville with her husband, Tony, and three children, was nominated by co-worker LuAnn Reed, Clinical Manager of the Advanced Wound Care Program. Reed received similar national honors in 2007 when she was named first-ever Outstanding Wound Care-Certified Nurse of the Year and first-ever Outstanding Wound Care Researcher of the year.

Drake's wound care team is the only one of its kind in the country whose staff is wound care certified and dedicated entirely to wound care. The team has achieved better outcomes than national benchmarks by healing wounds three times faster. This expertise has led to the creation of an annual nursing wound care seminar at Drake entitled, "Strategies in Wound Care Management." This year's conference is November 4. CEUs are available. For more information, call 513-418-9483.

Drake Center is the leading provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care in the region, offering a complete range of inpatient and outpatient care. Services include long-term acute care, transitional skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. For more information, visit www.DrakeCenter.com or call 513-418-2500.

Lady Vols Basketball Player Goes Home

Tue, 11 Aug 2009

CINCINNATI, OH - Nineteen-year-old Amber Gray, a forward on the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team, went home from Drake Center today.

Gray underwent elective surgery on July 2 at St. Mary's Medical Center in Knoxville to repair her rotator cuff. Post-surgery complications led to the discovery of an unrelated brain aneurysm that began to hemorrhage, causing a stroke. She was flown to University Hospital in Cincinnati where renowned neurosurgeon Mario Zuccarello, M.D., of the Mayfield Clinic and the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute performed a 12 ? hour surgical procedure to clip the aneurysm.

Gray was admitted to Drake Center on July 23 for rehabilitation to help build her strength, and improve walking and swallowing.

Gray, who is from Mason, Ohio, and was a high school All-American at Lakota West High School, said at the news conference that she expects to play again. "Of course I do," she told a reporter who asked if she planned to return to the court.

"This is an inspirational young woman who has done remarkably well at Drake Center. She's had a meteoric recovery," said Mark Goddard, M.D., medical director of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Drake, and professor and chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Cincinnati. "She went home two weeks ahead of schedule,? adding that her basketball training probably played a big role in her recovery. We have worked with her orthopedic team at the University of Tennessee and she has progressed with the rotator cuff surgery as well."

Gray's mother, Tonya Carter, believes the miracle of this experience is that having the rotator cuff surgery may have saved her life since it led to the discovery of the aneurysm in the best possible surroundings. At the news conference Carter paid tribute to the entire Drake staff, saying, "I cannot thank you all enough." She added that the family was "blessed" to have Zuccarello perform the complicated surgery.

Her coach and teammates say her illness has brought them closer together; they consider her family.

Gray is from Mason, Ohio, and was a high school All-American from Lakota West High School. She played in 27 games as a freshman for the Lady Vols last season.

Drake Center is the leading provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care in the region, offering a complete range of inpatient and outpatient care. Services include long-term acute care (medically complex care and rehabilitation), transitional skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. For more information, visit www.DrakeCenter.com or call 513-418-2500.

THOMSON REUTERS: HEALTH ALLIANCE IN TOP 10

Mon, 10 Aug 2009

Cincinnati, OH - After studying and analyzing the quality and efficiency of 252 health systems, Thomson Reuters announced this morning that the Health Alliance is one of the top 10 health systems in the United States for clinical quality and efficiency. The Health Alliance's ranking will appear in the inaugural edition of Thomson Reuters -?100 Top Hospitals: Health System Quality/Efficiency Benchmarks Study. You can read more about the study and its methodology here.

To establish the Health Alliance's ranking, Thomson Reuters used the two most recent years of Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data and CMS Hospital Compare data to assess the clinical quality and efficiency of the Health Alliance's hospitals. Apart from establishing the Health Alliance's ranking, the study also concluded that the top health systems, including the Health Alliance, are providing higher quality care with fewer mortalities and patient complications, and better adherence to patient safety standards and core measures of care. The top health systems are also treating patients more efficiently with substantially shorter patient stays. In response to today's announcement, Ken Hanover, President and CEO of the Health Alliance, stated the following:

"This is a significant accomplishment for our organization and would not have been achieved without a highly talented workforce that is deeply committed to providing our patients the best care possible. I am absolutely delighted that we can state that the Health Alliance sets the standard for patient care and stands as a national benchmark in the areas of clinical quality and efficiency."

About the Health Alliance

The Health Alliance, a partnership of Cincinnati's leading hospitals, includes University Hospital, Cincinnati's only academic medical center; The Jewish Hospital, the first Jewish hospital in the United States; Fort Hamilton Hospital, the City of Hamilton's only hospital and largest employer; Drake Center, Ohio's largest specialized medical and rehabilitative care hospital; West Chester Medical Center, Cincinnati's newest hospital; and Alliance Primary Care, the region's largest network of primary care physicians. The hospitals and clinical programs of the Health Alliance have consistently received national recognition by several health care rating organizations and publications, including HealthGrades and U.S. News & World Report.

Drake Center Receives 2009 Goldberg Award

Wed, 10 Jun 2009

CINCINNATI - Drake Center has received the 2009 Goldberg Innovation Award for its new program that empowers patient and family collaboration through improved education & information sharing. The award, presented by the National Association of Long Term Hospitals (NALTH), seeks to identify the country's most innovative programs through the following criteria: uniqueness, measurement indicators, financial impact and lessons learned.

"Our mission as a long-term acute care hospital is not merely to get patients well enough to leave, but rather to transition patients and their families from the trauma of a devastating medical event to be as self-sufficient as possible upon discharge," says Terry Dunn, Vice President of Operations. "Empowering self-sufficiency requires good information and instructions that patients and families can find, understand and act on." Thus, the development of a Patient & Family Guide that became the impetus of the program and ensures effective, accurate communication. A personalized copy is given to each patient and serves as:

A means to consistently and systematically help staff educate patients and families about all aspects of care and reinforce understanding
A repository to organize and retain key information
A tool where both general and patient-specific information can be referenced.????????

Dunn presented the award-winning program at the NALTH meeting in Washington, DC in May.

Drake Center is the leading provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care in the region, offering a complete range of inpatient and outpatient care. Services include long-term acute care (medically complex care and rehabilitation), transitional skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. For more information, visit www.DrakeCenter.com or call 513-418-2500.

Injured Police Officer Heads Home From Drake Center

Wed, 27 May 2009

Read?about Officer Gehring leaving Drake Center to return home and watch video of news conference on 9News, Fox19, Local 12 or Channel?5.

Mark McEwen Receives the 2009 Diamond Award

Fri, 15 May 2009

May 14, 2009, Mark McEwen, former weatherman on CBS' "The Early Show," took the stage at Drake Center's life after stroke community forum and dinner, speaking on behalf of the more than 780,000 Americans who experience a stroke each year.

McEwen was in Cincinnati to raise funds for Drake Center, the region's leader in helping stroke survivors reclaim their lives. More than 300 people attended the event with proceeds going to stroke education, research and programming at Drake.

McEwen was loving life, successful both professionally and personally, when he suffered a massive stroke in November 2005. After 15 years on "The Early Show," he had moved to Orlando to anchor the local news and spend more time with his family. While traveling, McEwen experienced symptoms that led him to a hospital, where he was misdiagnosed with the flu and sent home. At the airport two days later, he collapsed, unable to speak. His misdiagnosis nearly cost him his life and he began a long struggle through rehabilitation and recovery. He chronicled this journey in his memoir "Change in the Weather: Life After Stroke," and fast became a voice for stroke survivors and an important advocate for stroke awareness.

In recognition of his efforts to increase knowledge about stroke, Drake Center honored McEwen with their annual Diamond Award. Former Drake nurse Chris Wright also was honored at the event with the Spirit of Drake Award for her involvement in stroke survivor care at Drake. She founded the Stroke Survivor Support Group and has facilitated it for more than seven years.

?2009 Diamond Award:? Given to Mark McEwen, this annual award recognizes an individual or entity involved in advocacy, leadership, achievement and philanthropy to make a significant difference in the lives of Drake Center patients and/or the Drake community.? Mr. McEwen not only exemplifies these achievements, but has shown courageous leadership and advocacy while on his own path to stroke recovery.

2009 Spirit of Drake Award:? Given to former Drake nurse Chris Wright, this annual award honors an individual or entity who has shown courage, character, perseverance and vision, and who has served as a source of inspiration for patients and families of the Drake Center. Chris Wright has provided courageous support and advocacy for the treatment and recovery of stroke patients at Drake by facilitating the Stroke Survivor Support Group. Her passion for educating and supporting stroke survivors and caregivers is evident in her seven-year commitment to the group.

Drake Center is the leading provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care in the region, offering a complete range of inpatient and outpatient services including long-term acute care (medically complex and rehabilitation), transitional skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. For more information, visit www.DrakeCenter.com or call 513-418-2500.

Early Show Weatherman Mark McEwen Visits Drake Center.

Thu, 14 May 2009

CINCINNATI - On May 14, 2009, The Drake Foundation will host Mark McEwen, stroke survivor and 20-year veteran of TV news and weather, for a symposium featuring three events aimed at educating and building awareness of stroke and Drake's new Stroke Recovery Center.

Mark McEwen was at the top of his game and enjoying life when he suffered a stroke on November 15, 2005, on a plane home to Orlando, Florida. After 15 years on CBS-TV "The Early Show," he had moved to Orlando to anchor the local news and spend more time with his family. While traveling, he experienced symptoms that led him to the hospital, where he was misdiagnosed and sent home. Two days later he collapsed, and his slurred speech and heavy sweating were discounted. Misinformation not only delayed his treatment, but also nearly cost him his life.

America's beloved morning-show weatherman recalls his harrowing journey of rehabilitation in the candid and moving memoir, "Change in the Weather: Life After Stroke." The book traces his recovery in the aftermath of stroke, and signals a change in America's mindset about stroke and its warning signs.

Each year about 780,000 people experience a stroke, and Americans will pay about $65.5 billion in 2008 for stroke-related medical costs and disability, as reported by the American Heart Association. This number is expected to increase as baby boomers reach 60. Surviving a stroke is the number one risk factor for suffering another, possibly more serious or fatal stroke.

"Our new Stroke Recovery Center helps patients rebuild their lives through a full continuum of post-stroke services including inpatient and outpatient treatment, research and consultation.," said Craig Rice, President of The Drake Foundation.

The treatment of stroke is one of Drake's signature services. The Stroke Recovery Center combines physicians and researchers from the University of Cincinnati's internationally recognized Stroke Team and Drake's specialized inpatient and outpatient neuro-rehabilitative services.
"What sets us apart is that we help stroke survivors achieve the fullest possible recovery, regardless of whether their stroke occurred days or years in the past," said, Brett Kissela, M.D., Co-Director of the Stroke Recovery Center at Drake, and Associate Professor and Vice-Chair of Neurology at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center. "Many breakthrough treatments are developed here by researchers from UC who test new theories on the mind's ability to reprogram up to 12 years after neurological injury," he adds.

The May 14 symposium includes three events:

A Stroke Management Seminar for Professionals (physicians, nurses, therapists, referral sources and health educators), at Drake Center, 7:30 a.m.?- 1 p.m., Cost:? $50/physicians, $35/others; CMEs and CEUs provided; includes luncheon keynote address by James Baranski, CEO, National Stroke Association on stroke healing and recovery, new stroke research and challenges with rehabilitation reimbursement.??
Life After Stroke Workshop for Stroke Survivors and Caregivers, at Drake Center, 11:30 a.m.?- 5 p.m., $25/person. Cost includes keynote luncheon address by James Baranski, CEO, National Stroke Association, on stroke healing and recovery, new stroke research and challenges with rehabilitation reimbursement.
Mark McEwen's Community Forum and Dinner, Millennium Hotel, 150 W. Fifth St., downtown Cincinnati, (6 -10 p.m., Cost: $150/person or $1500/table of 10).? This event focuses on Mark's journey to recovery from his stroke in 2005.

For more information, or to register online, visit www.DrakeCenter.com/McEwen or call The Drake Foundation at 513-418-5970. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. All event proceeds will benefit stroke education, treatment, research and programming. Drake Center is a not-for-profit, long-term acute care hospital, providing both medically complex and rehabilitativ e care, as well as skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. The Drake Foundation was founded in 1997 to secure philanthropic support that will enhance Drake's highly specialized services and the care, comfort and quality of life of our patients.

More Stroke Facts:

?Stroke kills more than 150,000 people a year (about 1 of every 16 deaths) and is the number three cause of death behind diseases of the heart and cancer.
On average, every 3-4 minutes someone dies of stroke.
The 2004 stroke death rates per 100,000 population for specific groups were 48.1 for white males, 47.2 for white females, 74.9 for black males and 65.5 for black females.
African Americans have almost twice the risk of first-ever stokes compared to Caucasians.

Drake Honoring Its Extraordinary Volunteers

Sun, 19 Apr 2009

CINCINNATI - Drake Center will honor its volunteers the week of April 19 through April 25 to celebrate National Volunteer Week at a special luncheon on April 21. This year's theme is "Everyday People, Extraordinary Contributions." Among those being honored are five volunteers who have made extraordinary contributions to Drake throughout the past years:

Bobbie Tugwell first volunteered at Drake at the age of 14 in 1947 transporting patients to Sunday services. She resumed her role in 1988 and since has accumulated nearly 10,000 hours. Bobbie has participated in just about every patient program including holding Sunday church services, bible studies, and is a member of the Drake Auxiliary. "I will always be grateful to Drake for allowing me the opportunity to learn and grow. My husband had a series of strokes about seven years ago and I have had to cut back my hours . . ., but I am better equipped to handle his needs thanks to my experiences and training here at Drake."

Ausuma Balinkin and Barb Davis are being honored as Volunteers of the Year. Ausuma has been volunteering for 17 years by knitting clothing to sell in the gift shop. This year alone she has put in more than 300 hours, and her clothing has brought in more than a $1,000 profit for patient programs. Barb Davis uses her special talents by volunteering at Bridgeway Pointe, the assisted-living facility at Drake. Since 2007 Barb has led "Fancy Fingers," a quilting and sewing group, for residents. Their quilts have been donated to Children's Hospital Medical Center, and their creations have been exhibited at Loveland Library Quilt Show.

Junior volunteers Kyrie and Kyra Watkins are eighth-grade students at Hartwell School who have regularly volunteered in the gift shop since 2008, and have also provided clerical work in the Public Relations & Marketing Department. Both girls are being inducted into the Junior Volunteer Hall of Fame.

Drake Center is a not-for-profit, long-term acute care hospital, providing both medically complex and rehabilitative care, as well as skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. For more information, visit DrakeCenter.com or call 513-418-2500.

Navigated Brain Stimulation in Stroke Recovery

Wed, 21 Jan 2009

Helsinki, January 21, 2009. Nexstim Oy, a medical device company developing a revolutionary brain diagnostics and therapy technology, and Drake Center, in association with the University of Cincinnati, today announced they had signed an agreement to study the benefits of using Navigated Brain Stimulation (NBS) in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of a patient's recovery following stroke.

The Nexstim NBS device will initially be used in a Drake-sponsored study to determine how the brain's potential to transmit high quality signals to a stroke patient's muscles might be used to better assess prognosis and the success of physiotherapy during post-stroke rehabilitation.

"We see enormous potential for the use of Navigated Brain Stimulation in the field of neurorehabilitation," said Kari Dunning, P.T., Ph.D., Director of Research at Drake Center and Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Cincinnati's College of Allied Health Sciences. "Nexstim offers us a truly innovative non-invasive technology which we believe in the future may be able to guide our treatment, measure the effectiveness of our treatments and provide another tool for treatment in our studies. We are impressed by the broad level of research supporting Navigated Brain Stimulation and the deep scientific understanding at Nexstim. We feel confident that we have the best possible partner for our clinical research in this important area."

Nexstim's NBS device is a non-invasive method to gently stimulate precise areas of the human cortex of the brain while simultaneously measuring the effect of stimuli on the central nervous system and the peripheral nerves responsible for movement. Stimuli are given by a small electromagnetic coil which is guided over the head very much like driving a car with GPS. Simply by loading the system with a standard MRI brain scan, an operator can precisely locate the area to stimulate. Best of all, the patient need do nothing more than sit in a comfortable reclining chair wearing a special pair of optically-tracked glasses. No patient effort is required, and brain mapping generally takes less than an hour.

Jukka-Pekka Sarkka, Managing Director of Nexstim commented, "We are very pleased to be working with the Drake Center on applications of our technology to benefit stroke patients. Drake Center and its association with the University of Cincinnati College of Allied Health Sciences provides a unique setting and interdisciplinary approach to research the effectiveness of this device with stroke inpatients and outpatients, as well as to work with both clinicians and researchers who are nationally-known leaders in the field of stroke rehabilitation. With their innovative approaches to stroke care, the Drake Center is an ideal clinical research partner for us in the US."?

Nexstim has been used for research in Europe and Asia for five years. However, Drake Center will be the first inpatient rehabilitation hospital to use the device for clinical research. There are only two other research labs in the United States with the Nexstim device, including the National Institutes of Health and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

Because the device does not currently have FDA approval, it will be used exclusively for research at this time. This will be the first time the Nexstim device is used to study the potential of translating research results into clinical use.

Dr. Dunning has no financial interest in Nexstim Oy, which is partially funding the study along with Drake Center.

About Drake Center
Drake Center is the leading provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care in the Ohio region, offering a complete range of inpatient and outpatient care. Services include long-term acute care (medically complex care and rehabilitation), transitional skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. In addition to stroke recovery, Dra ke Center specializes in the care of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, pulmonary care/ventilator weaning and advanced wound care patients. In collaboration with the on-site Neuromotor Recovery and Rehabilitation Laboratory (NmRRL), Drake Center has more than 15 stroke recovery studies on-going and during 2007-2008 published 10 peer reviewed articles. Drake Center recently launched the Stroke Recovery Center at Drake, including the new Stroke Team Assessment and Recovery Treatment Program. Drake Center is part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system that also includes University Hospital of Cincinnati, Jewish Hospital, Fort Hamilton Hospital, West Chester Medical Center and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care. For more information, visit www.DrakeCenter.com or call 1-800-948-2500 x 84450.

About Nexstim
Nexstim was founded in 2000 to commercialize Navigated Brain Stimulation (NBS), the combination of stereotacticly guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and high-resolution EEG/EMG measurement. NBS allows a neurologist to non-invasively excite, or inhibit, precise areas of the cerebral cortex with unsurpassed accuracy and instantly see the response in the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nerves. NBS has promising applications in functional brain imaging, including cortical mapping and evaluating brain damage following stroke. Therapeutic applications, including stroke rehabilitation, also hold great promise for NBS. In 2007, Nexstim successfully raised EUR 8 million in new equity financing, led by European venture capital investors HealthCap and LSP. See www.nexstim.com.

NBS System is CE-marked.
Caution: In the United States, the NBS System is limited by Federal law to investigational use.

Ms. Lori Cross?
President,?Nexstim, Inc.
Phone: 1-608-441 8378?

Ms. Lori Deaton
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
Drake Center
Phone: 513-418-2641, Pager: 513-269-7054????????
Lori.Deaton@healthall.com

PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY: Nexstim medical directors and researchers from Drake Center and the University of Cincinnati's College of Allied Health Sciences will be available for interviews and demonstration of this new device at Drake Center, 151 W. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45216, on Wednesday, January 21, at 11 a.m.
?
Note to editors:

Impact of Stroke

About 780,000 Americans each year suffer a new or recurrent stroke. That means, on average, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds.
Stroke kills more than 150,000 people a year. That's about 1 of every 16 deaths. It's the No. 3 cause of death behind diseases of the heart and cancer.
On average, every 3 to 4 minutes someone dies of stroke.
Of every 5 deaths from stroke, 2 occur in men and 3 in women.
The 2004 stroke death rates per 100,000 population for specific groups were 48.1 for white males, 47.2 for white females, 74.9 for black males and 65.5 for black females.
Americans will pay about $65.5 billion in 2008 for stroke-related medical costs and disability.

Source: AHA

Drake Center Biggest Loser

Fri, 16 Jan 2009

Cincinnati--Not everyone can appear on the hit TV series The Biggest Loser, so Drake Center employees decided to create their own program in an effort to live healthier lifestyles. Tomorrow at noon, the much anticipated "Biggest Loser" (for the current session) will be announced and awarded $400 cash.

?The 12-week program costs each employee $25, and all money collected is awarded to a first and second place "loser" at the end of each session. On average about 20 Drake employees participate in each series. The group holds weekly meetings to support each other, share recipes and other success tips.

Sherry Gibbemeyer, an assessment nurse at Drake, and previous two-time winner of Drake's Biggest Loser has been an inspiration to many. Sherry has lost more than 60 pounds since May of 2008 and has won over $500 cash.

View photo?of this year's and previous?Biggest Loser winners.

The Biggest Loser competition has been ongoing for nearly two years. January 12 marks the beginning of the 5th series of the Biggest Loser for Drake Center employees. Drake also offers on-site exercise facilities free to all employees as well as healthy menu options in the cafeteria, as well as land and aquatic exercise programs to the community for a fee.

The American Heart Association awarded Drake Center its 2008 Fit-Friendly Company Gold Award for their commitment to providing a healthy workplace for employees and for taking the important steps necessary to create a culture of physical activity for their workforce, and was recognized for this program in the Oct. 27 issue of Forbes magazine.

Christmas Wish Comes True for Drake Patient

Fri, 19 Dec 2008

But when the Metropolitan Sewer District crew chief got an opportunity for overtime, he took it. It was Dec. 20, 2006, and he figured extra money would come in handy over the holidays.? read full story

He Believes in Miracles

Fri, 19 Dec 2008

Watch a true Christmas miracle.?watch video

Groundbreaking Stroke Recovery Center Opens

Tue, 25 Nov 2008

Cincinnati, Ohio - Drake Center clinicians today announced they have launched a groundbreaking, interdisciplinary service designed to help stroke survivors achieve the fullest possible recovery, regardless of whether their stroke occurred days or years in the past.

The new Stroke Recovery Center at Drake builds on Drake's long-standing strengths in the area of neurorehabilitation, combined with the University of Cincinnati?s world-renowned leadership in stroke research and treatment through the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Team. The Stroke Recovery Center includes a full continuum of post-stroke recovery care, including inpatient and outpatient treatment, research and consultation. Patients may access one or multiple levels of service based on their medical condition.

A unique feature of the Center is the new Stroke Team Assessment and Recovery Treatment (START) Program for patients who are months or years post-stroke but passionate about seeking a fuller recovery. Patients begin with an initial two-hour assessment by an interdisciplinary team of medical, therapy and research specialists, each bringing their expertise in stroke recovery. The assessment includes a neurologist; physical medicine and rehabilitation physician; physical, occupational and speech therapists; neuropsychologist and stroke researchers. Following the assessment, the team develops an individualized, evidence-based treatment plan for the patient, then continues to monitor the patient's progress, making changes to the plan based on the patient's outcomes and needs. A unique facet of the plan is the use of therapies that are supported by evidence, and the opportunity for patients to participate in free stroke recovery clinical trials.

"About 2,000 people in the Greater Cincinnati area have ischemic strokes each year," says Brett Kissela, M.D., co-director of the Stroke Recovery Center at Drake, member of the internationally renowned Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Team and vice chair of education and clinical services for the neurology department at the University of Cincinnati. "While the Stroke Team responds to 22 area hospitals to provide specialized emergency and acute care treatment to stabilize stroke patients, follow-up care has varied widely. Many patients are missing opportunities to maximize their recovery."

"Too often, stroke patients are told after six months or a year that they have plateaued in their recovery, and that they need to adjust to their new limitations," explained Dr. Kissela. "However, I've seen the dramatic improvements that many patients can have, sometimes years post stroke, given specialized therapies and new cutting-edge treatments."

Drake clinicians say they know of only a handful of similar types of services in the country. Of those, some only focus on one condition that could result from stroke, such as aphasia or leg movement, and no other program leverages the human, clinical, and research resources of a world-renowned stroke team and university.

The Stroke Recovery Center at Drake offers specialists who can treat all of the many different conditions that can result from stroke, including walking, mobility, leg and arm function, balance, fine motor skills of the hands, thinking and understanding skills, speech, spasticity, swallowing, incontinence, coping, adjustment and more. The Center can bill a patient's insurance company, Medicare or Medicaid, and accepts self-pay patients.

Many treatments in use at the Stroke Recovery Center are developed at Drake Center in the Neu romotor Recovery and Rehabilitation Lab (NmRRL). There, researchers from the University of Cincinnati test new theories in neuroplasticity, the mind's ability to reprogram following neurological injury, and the latest therapeutic devices.

"With 15 current stroke studies, we have one of the most active stroke recovery research programs in the country," said Stephen Page, Ph.D., director of NmRRL and associate professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Allied Health Sciences. "Drake Center is the only hospital of its kind in the region with an in-house clinical research laboratory funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Stroke Association. Our findings have appeared in more than 60 peer review medical journal articles and have received numerous national and international awards. We're not just providing treatments, we're often the ones developing them."

Karen Bankston, Ph.D., F.A.C.H.E., senior vice president/site executive of Drake Center said, "This Center is for stroke survivors who are passionate about doing all they can to reclaim their lives after a stroke. Stroke survivors have been hungry for a service like this, one that coordinates their care and looks to all different disciplines for opportunities for improvement."

Dr. Bankston said, "The Stroke Recovery Center at Drake now adds an option for those just beginning their recovery from stroke or those years post stroke who are eager for another opinion. With long-term acute care, rehab and transitional skilled nursing care for inpatients, specialized outpatient therapies, the START Program, research and wellness services, this is a continuum of stroke recovery care that is not found at any other facility in the region and possibly in the country."

Those wanting to learn more about the Stroke Recovery Center at Drake can call 513-418-2470 or attend an informational seminar and open house at Drake Center on Saturday, December 6, from 10:30 a.m. until noon. The seminar is free, but space is limited. Call 513-418-2607 for more information or to reserve a seat.

Drake Center is a not-for-profit, extended care hospital providing both medically complex and rehabilitative care, as well as skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. In addition to stroke recovery care, Drake Center specializes in providing care for traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, pulmonary conditions and advanced wounds. Drake Center is located at 151 W. Galbraith Road in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Drake Center Hosts Art Celebration

Mon, 14 July 2008

Drake Center Hosts Job Fair

Mon, 14 July 2008

Drake Center Hosts Driver Simulator Demonstration for Wal-Mart Foundation

Tue, 15 Jul 2008

Drake Center Managers Earn International Certification Honors

Wed, 28 May 2008

Drake Center Neuropsychologist Receives Board Certification

Wed, 28 May 2008

Cincinnati-Paul Newman, Ph.D., A.B.P.P.-C.N., Director of Medical Psychology and Neuropsychology at Drake Center has received board certification in Clinical Neuropsychology from the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN). Dr. Newman joins the ranks of only 607 neuropsychologists nationwide, and only one other adult neuropsychologist in Cincinnati to achieve this specialty certification.

Board certification provides external validity of specialty competence, and acknowledgment by Dr. Newman`s professional peers that he has passed extensive examination of his knowledge and ability. Certification by ABCN is recognized throughout the country.

In addition to this certification, Dr. Newman has recently joined a National Institutes of Health research study at the University of Cincinnati as an investigator. The study will investigate if a surgical procedure for blocked carotid arteries can lead to better cognition (thinking ability) when compared to individuals who do not have this procedure. "What makes this study unique," says Dr. Newman, "is that it looks at quality of life, not just mortality or acute events (like stroke) to determine effectiveness."

Dr. Newman earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Cincinnati. He also completed a postdoctoral residency in neuropsychology and rehabilitation psychology at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.

Dr. Newman is a resident of Wyoming.

Drake Center is the leading provider of specialized medical and rehabilitative care in the region, offering a complete range of inpatient and outpatient care. Services include long-term acute care (medically complex care and rehabilitation), transitional skilled nursing, assisted living and various outpatient and wellness services. Drake Center is part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system. For more information, visit www.DrakeCenter.com or call 513-418-2500.

Drake Center Names Bob and Lee Woodruff Recipients of Spirit of Drake Diamond Awards

Fri, 04 Apr 2008

Media Alert: ABC News Anchor Bob Woodruff Visits Cincinnati Drake Center

Mon, 31 Mar 8

Live Web Cast of Bob Woodruff Gives XU Students Unique Learning Opportunity

Mon, 31 Mar 2008

Drake Center s Bridgeway Pointe Residents Donate Christmas Blankets to Cincinnati Children s Hospital Medical Center for Santa Visit With NICU Babies

Wed, 05 Dec 2007

Drake Center Auxiliary Introduces Scholarship Program for Junior Volunteers

Mon, 03 Dec 2007

Drake Center SVP Appointed to National Council

Tue, 13 Nov 2007

Amy Sper Named Vice President of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Drake Center

Mon, 12 Nov 2007

Drake Center Nurse Earns Two National Awards for Wound Care

Wed, 24 Oct 2007