Spinal Cord Injury Treatment
Turn to MetroHealth’s Spine Center physicians for a range of innovative surgical and non-surgical treatments for back, neck, and spine disorders and injuries.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 216-778-3700.
For more than 55 years, MetroHealth has been the Northeast Ohio regional leader in care for individuals with spinal cord injury.
As one of 14 model Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems in the nation, MetroHealth provides the highest level of comprehensive specialty services to patients with spinal cord injuries, from the point of injury through rehabilitation and into the community - as they regain quality of life.
Case Western Reserve University and the MetroHealth System’s Northeast Ohio Regional Spinal Cord Injury System (NORSCIS) received a Spinal Cord Injury Model System designation by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Providers or patients can contact the MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute of Ohio Admissions Office by calling 216-778-3776.
The Program
The NORSCIS (Northeast Ohio Regional Spinal Cord Injury System) Program at MetroHealth is focused on generating new knowledge to improve the lives of individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury. We accomplish this through research and treatment, drawing on more than 20 years’ experience as a Level 1 Adult Trauma Center.
Our Services
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Trauma Services20+ years as a Level 1 Adult Trauma Center has given MetroHealth the expertise to deal with the most severely injured patients and give them the best chance for surviving and reclaiming their lives. Our collaboration with CCF and NOTS has decreased traumatic deaths in Cuyahoga County by 39 percent in Cuyahoga County and 53 percent in the city of Cleveland since 2010.
We also offer:
- Trauma Surgery Specialists
- Spine Surgery Specialists
- Spinal Cord Injury Nursing Care by staff which was re-awarded “Magnet Status” in 2015 by the American Nurse Credentialing Center
- Tendon Transfer Program
- Functional Electrical Stimulation
Acute Care
When someone suffers an acute spinal cord injury (SCI), MetroHealth activates a team that spans many specialties, including trauma, neurosurgery, and orthopedics. Once a patient is stabilized, they receive carefully managed care and planning is done for future rehabilitation.
Comprehensive Rehabilitation
Support services for acute SCI patients are immediately available, and begin within 24 hours of admission. The patient is assigned a dedicated care team of nurses, physicians and other professionals to help coordinate their plan of care.
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech and Language Pathology
- Rehabilitation Psychology
- Rehabilitation Social Work
- Respiratory Therapy and Ventilator Dependent Program (24 hours a day)
- Therapeutic Recreation
- Music & Art Therapy
- Spiritual Health
- Vocational Services
- Driver Rehabilitation
- Home Care Coordination
- Dietitian Services
- Sexual and Reproductive Counseling
Community Services and Integration
The NORCSIS Peer Support Program works with MetroHealth volunteer services to match patients with acute injuries with former patients who have successfully returned to an active and productive life after injury.
Vocational
A vocational counselor serves the needs of NORCSIS clients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The counselor works with various community organizations to enable current or former patients to obtain and sustain employment and education that match their abilities and skills.
Outpatient Services
The Benjamin S. Gerson Family Resource Center can provided assistance in accessing outpatient services. These Outpatient Specialty Clinics include:
- Spinal Cord Injury Clinic
- Orthopedic Hand Clinic
- Wound Care Clinic
- Spasticity Clinic
- Outpatient Urodynamics
- Gynecology and Obstetrics Services
- Multidisciplinary Pain Clinic
- Wheelchair Seating Clinic
Our Research
Northeast Ohio Regional SCI System (NORSCIS) provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to the care of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
