Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's Amicous® Program offers best-in-class care for disorders of consciousness and minimally conscious patients.
Amicous Program
Our Amicous ® Program offers best-in-class care for disorders of consciousness and minimally conscious patients. Leveraging the latest scientific breakthroughs, our state- of-the-art facility offers the greatest chance for emergence. Minimally conscious patients are characterized by inconsistent evidence of awareness of themselves and their environment. These inconsistent signs often include visual pursuit, purposeful movement and/or command following. If your loved one has sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, we are here to lend our expertise.
What’s different about our Amicous Program?
Research-based Evaluations Our physician experts and therapists complete thorough assessments and examinations to determine a patient’s level of consciousness and responsiveness. The team evaluates patients by careful reduction of sedating medications and introduction of neurostimulants to facilitate and maximize neuromotor recovery. Frequently throughout the course of rehabilitation, our therapy teams use functional measurement tools to assess progress. Focus on Gains The goal of the program is to optimize a patient’s purposeful interactions, intended movements, functional mobility and communication. We use cutting-edge sensory stimulation, neuromodulation and physical medicine and rehabilitation to engage our patients and deliver effective therapies.
Our goal is to help the patient emerge. Emergence from a disorder of consciousness is defined as being able either to communicate consistently or demonstrate functional object use. During the program we will: • Determine a patient’s level of consciousness and responsiveness • Advise on medical stability for continued care • Optimize his or her medication regimen • Ensure he or she is provided with proper medical equipment • Educate the patient’s family and caregivers about their loved one’s condition and ongoing care If your loved one emerges, they may continue acute inpatient rehabilitation with increased focus on higher- level goals. Family’s Important Role One of the most important members of our care team is the patient’s family. We know when a brain injury happens, it affects more than just the patient. We focus on family and caregiver training so that the family feels supported throughout therapy, during a patient’s recovery and after taking their loved one home. The program also includes extensive family training, including addressing contracture management, wound care and other potential illnesses. This training helps prevent future intervention and/or hospitalization.
Watch our Amicous video
Interdisciplinary Team Our expert brain injury physicians, nurses and therapists continually share updates, ideas and action plans to meet the highly individualized needs of each Amicous patient. Our belief in and passion for this integration is a distinction in the rehabilitation world, and our patients benefit from the frequency and intensity of these clinical team meetings. Every patient is different and so is every care plan — we evolve care to best meet individual goals and needs. Unique Treatment Spaces Our Think + Speak Lab is specifically designed to eliminate distractions and overstimulation. This unique low-stimulation space provides patients with the optimum environment for brain healing and recovery and is equipped with the latest technology. In addition, our high-tech sensory room offers a low- stimulation environment that allows the brain to focus on one element at a time. Clinicians tailor use of the room to meet individual needs.
Physiatrist
Pharmacist
Nurse
Patient Care Technician
YOUR CARE TEAM
Researcher
Care Manager
Physical Therapist
Respiratory Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Speech- Language Pathologist
Meet Our Medical Leader Sangeeta Driver, MD, MPH Section Chief, Brain Injury Medicine & Rehabilitation
Dr. Driver is double board-certified in brain injury medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation. She has previously served as a Congressional Health Fellow on Capitol Hill, Regional Co-Director for Doctors for America, a member of the American Medical Association Council on Legislation, and a member of Congressman Danny K. Davis's Health Care Advisory Task Force. In addition to her work at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, she is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
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