Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center

Centers of Excellence

Brain Injury and Stroke

Traumatic Brain Injury and Coma Recovery Unit

The 25-bed Traumatic Brain Injury and Coma Recovery Unit (TBI), the only New York State Department of Health-approved program of its kind in Brooklyn, is a specialized service within the Rehabilitation Institute. It serves adults with head injuries and neurological conditions resulting from:

  • Violence
  • Vehicular Accidents
  • Brain Tumors
  • Anoxia
  • Hemorrhagic Stroke
  • Head Injury (Secondary to Falls)

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at Kingsbrook Rehabilitation Institute offers a holistic interdisciplinary team approach to treat the impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions of persons diagnosed with a traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury.

The effects of injury to the brain on the person served may include speech and swallowing difficulties, bowel and bladder impairment, weakness, difficulties with balance and ambulation, pain, memory loss, depression and anxiety.

The goal of the program is to provide the person served with individualized treatments that will optimize and maximize function and deliver care in a sensitive and compassionate manner by competent clinicians who advocate for their needs.

Our staff recognizes that severe impairments due to diseases involving the brain can affect both the person served and their families. Our treatments are guided by their preferences and goals. The person served is provided with resources that emphasize wellness and an active lifestyle. Our skilled clinicians communicate and collaborate with other healthcare providers involved in the care of the person served.

The program offers a variety of services that optimize function, promote healthy lifestyles, provide psychological and coping skills, emphasize participation in life roles and educate the person served and their families.

Our program offers the following services to address these impairments:

  • Physiatry (doctors who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation)

  • Physical Therapy

  • Occupational Therapy

  • Speech Pathology

  • Neuropsychology

  • Rehabilitation Nursing

  • Recreational Therapy

  • Social work and case management

  • Vocational Rehabilitation

  • Pain management

  • Prosthetic, Orthotic and wheelchair clinics

Persons Served are admitted to our inpatient rehabilitation facility where they receive 3 hours of individualized therapy services per day under the direct care of a physiatrist. There is medical coverage 24 hours per day, 7 days per week as well as nursing care. The typical length of stay is approximately 15 days; however this may be shorter or longer depending on needs of the person served. Persons served are commonly referred from hospitals in Brooklyn and Manhattan, including Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center. Payers of our services are typically from Medicare/Medicaid and managed care plans. Additional fees may apply on an individualized basis.

While in our program, persons served have access to medical specialists, surgical specialists, laboratory, pharmacy and radiologic services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week as needed.

Outcomes: Persons served in our program make significant functional gains and the majority of them return back to the community following discharge. For those who cannot return back to the community, our social work and case management staff work closely with them to ensure a safe discharge to the most appropriate setting.

Admission Criteria: Persons served must meet the following criteria to enter the program:

  • Medically Stable to tolerate 3 hours of therapy per day

  • Motivated to participate in the program

  • In need of rehabilitation nursing services

  • In need of close medical monitoringby a physician while undergoing the program

  • Have goals that can be met through an inpatient rehabilitation program

    Discharge Criteria: Persons served are discharged if they meet one or more of the following criteria

  • Have reached the goals set by the person served and treating staff members

  • Person served cannot tolerate 3 hours of therapy services per day

  • Person served lacks the motivation to participate in the program

  • Person served does not require close medical monitoring by a physician.

  • Person served does not require rehabilitation nursing services.

  • A significant change in the medical condition of the person served that limits the ability to tolerate the rehabilitation program

    Contact Information: 718-604-5341

    Location: Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center 585 Schenectady Avenue Brooklyn NY 11203