Rusk Insights On Rehabilitation Medicine

This is a special two-part Grand Rounds series with Dr. Steven Flanagan, Professor and Chairman of Rehabilitation Medicine and Medical Director of Rusk Rehabilitation.  In Part 1 of his presentation, Dr. Flanagan discusses the contributions of Dr. Howard Rusk, the father of rehabilitation medicine. He brought it to the forefront as a recognized specialty by showing that rehabilitation contributed to improving the lives of patients with disabilities. Dr. Flanagan referred to various efforts over the decades to manage health care costs through managed care and other means. Even today when it is evident that a inpatient care is necessary, barriers can offer resistance because of the costs involved. What makes the case of inpatient care more challenging is the need to have more data to justify the decision to provide care at that level. He predicts that cost containment will continue well into the future. Our aims are to improve health care outcomes and increase efficiency. He concluded Part 1 of his presentation

Dr. Mahya Beheshti is a physician scientist at NYU Langone Health’s Rusk Rehabilitation Institute. She has been working at the Visuomotor Integration Laboratory with the focus on eye-hand coordination research as it relates to acquired brain injury. She also collaborates with  the Rehabilitation Engineering Alliance and Center Transforming Low Vision Laboratory where her research involves advanced wearables for sensory deprived patients. Additionally, she is a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering PhD student at NYU-Tandon. Dr. J.R. Rizzo also is a physician scientist at NYU Langone Health’s Rusk Rehabilitation Institute. He serves as Director of Innovation and Technology for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with cross-appointments in the Department of Neurology and the Departments of Biomedical & Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NYU-Tandon. He also is the Associate Director of Healthcare for the renowned NYU Wireless Laboratory in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NYU-Ta

Dr. Mahya Beheshti is a physician scientist at NYU Langone Health’s Rusk Rehabilitation Institute. She has been working at the Visuomotor Integration Laboratory with the focus on eye-hand coordination research as it relates to acquired brain injury. She also collaborates with  the Rehabilitation Engineering Alliance and Center Transforming Low Vision Laboratory where her research involves advanced wearables for sensory deprived patients. Additionally, she is a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering PhD student at NYU-Tandon. Dr. J.R. Rizzo also is a physician scientist at NYU Langone Health’s Rusk Rehabilitation Institute. He serves as Director of Innovation and Technology for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with cross-appointments in the Department of Neurology and the Departments of Biomedical & Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NYU-Tandon. He also is the Associate Director of Healthcare for the renowned NYU Wireless Laboratory in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NYU-Ta

Dr. Robert Gordon is the Director of Intern Training and Associate Director of Postdoctoral Fellow Training at Rusk Rehabilitation Institute and Clinical Associate Professor at New York University Grossman School of Medicine. He has been the Director of Intern Training since 1995 and has trained over 270 psychology interns. He has specialties in the areas of neuropsychological and forensic testing and psychotherapy with children and adults with physical and learning disabilities and chronic illness. He has published in the areas of existential-humanistic and relational therapeutic approaches during COVID-19 with patients with preexisting conditions, ethics, supervision, relational psychoanalysis, dream interpretation, pain management, and the use of projective testing in neuropsychology. He received his doctorate from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University in Child Clinical/School Psychology in 1985 and a Certificate in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy from Adelphi University in 1999.

Dr. Robert Gordon is the Director of Intern Training and Associate Director of Postdoctoral Fellow Training at Rusk Rehabilitation Institute and Clinical Associate Professor at New York University Grossman School of Medicine. He has been the Director of Intern Training since 1995 and has trained over 270 psychology interns. He has specialties in the areas of neuropsychological and forensic testing and psychotherapy with children and adults with physical and learning disabilities and chronic illness. He has published in the areas of existential-humanistic and relational therapeutic approaches during COVID-19 with patients with preexisting conditions, ethics, supervision, relational psychoanalysis, dream interpretation, pain management, and the use of projective testing in neuropsychology. He received his doctorate from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University in Child Clinical/School Psychology in 1985 and a Certificate in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy from Adelphi University in 1

Dr. Joan Gold is a clinical professor in the Department of Rehabilitation at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health. Her medical degree is from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. She completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the NYU Medical Center and her residency in pediatrics at Beth Israel Medical Center. She is board certified in the following three areas: Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and also in Pediatrics. Her area of specialization includes the pediatric disorders cerebral palsy and spina bifida. This is a special two-part Grand Rounds series. In Part 1 of her presentation, Dr. Gold contrasted a time 50 years ago when she made a presentation on the topic of spina bifida. Today, we have a change in attitude and a change in medical information since that earlier period and we also need to be aware of long-term care needs and the need for continuity of care of these patients, and all our patients who are aging

Dr. Joan Gold is a clinical professor in the Department of Rehabilitation at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health. Her medical degree is from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. She completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the NYU Medical Center and her residency in pediatrics at Beth Israel Medical Center. She is board certified in the following three areas: Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and also in Pediatrics. Her area of specialization includes the pediatric disorders cerebral palsy and spina bifida. This is a special two-part Grand Rounds series. In Part 1 of her presentation, Dr. Gold contrasted a time 50 years ago when she made a presentation on the topic of spina bifida. Today, we have a change in attitude and a change in medical information since that earlier period and we also need to be aware of long-term care needs and the need for continuity of care of these patients, and all our patients who are aging

Holly Cohen is the Program Manager of the Assistive Technology Service at NYU Langone Health. Along with her clinical experience, she holds certification in assistive technology from the Rehabilitation and Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, has a specialty certification in environmental modifications from the American Occupational Therapy Association, and is a Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist from the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists. She founded the Assistive Technology Service and also started the Driving Rehabilitation program, serving as program manager of both services at NYU. She is an adjunct professor in the Department of the Occupational Therapy in the Steinhardt School at New York University. Her degree in Occupational Therapy is from the State University of New York and she has taken graduate level courses within the Interactive Telecommunications department at New York University.    In this interview, she discusses how the coronavirus led to

Dr. Chelsea Schoen provides psychological and neuropsychological assessment and intervention services to a wide range of adults recovering from traumatic brain injury, stroke, other complex neurologic conditions, spinal cord injury, and orthopedic/musculoskeletal conditions. Her clinical and research interests include psychological factors associated with fear of falling. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology with a Health Emphasis and specialization in neuropsychology from the Yeshiva (Yeshiva) University. Dr. Philip J. Uy is a Senior Psychologist at Rusk Rehabilitation and works at Cardiopulmonary/Medically Complex on the Main Campus and at the Neurorehabilitation (Langone Orthopedic Hospital) acute inpatient rehabilitation. His clinical and research interests are in neurologic disorders, cardiopulmonary conditions, and adjustment to medical disability. He also has expertise in substance use disorders. He obtained his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University.  In Part 1, t

Dr. Chelsea Schoen provides psychological and neuropsychological assessment and intervention services to a wide range of adults recovering from traumatic brain injury, stroke, other complex neurologic conditions, spinal cord injury, and orthopedic/musculoskeletal conditions. Her clinical and research interests include psychological factors associated with fear of falling. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology with a Health Emphasis and specialization in neuropsychology from the Yeshiva (Yeshiva) University. Dr. Philip J. Uy is a Senior Psychologist at Rusk Rehabilitation and works at Cardiopulmonary/Medically Complex on the Main Campus and at the Neurorehabilitation (Langone Orthopedic Hospital) acute inpatient rehabilitation. His clinical and research interests are in neurologic disorders, cardiopulmonary conditions, and adjustment to medical disability. He also has expertise in substance use disorders. He obtained his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University.  In Part 1, t

Rebecca Missimer is a physical therapy clinical specialist in acute care at Tisch/Kimmel at NYU Langone. She has been a practicing clinician for seven years and is a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy. She works with patients with a variety of diagnoses, including individuals with respiratory, pulmonary, and cardiac issues on the acute floors and in the intensive care units.   Mary Fischer is a clinical specialist in acute care at NYU Langone Rusk. She also is a faculty member of the Acute Care Physical Therapy Residence Program. With more than 30 years of experience in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, and home care physical therapy, she was the lead investigator and author of a fall risk study published in the Journal of Acute Care Physical Therapy in October 2020. She is a graduate of Columbia and Stony Brook Universities and is a board-certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist.   In this interview, they discuss the kinds of patients treated who already were

Dr. Steven Flanagan is Howard A. Rusk Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Chairperson of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Langone Health. He joined NYU Langone Medical Center in 2008 as Professor and Chairman of Rehabilitation Medicine and Medical Director of Rusk Rehabilitation after serving as Vice Chairman of Rehabilitation Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He serves on numerous medical advisory boards and is a peer reviewer for several scientific journals. He has authored numerous chapters and peer-reviewed publications, and has participated in both federally- and industry-sponsored research. His medical degree is from the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey and he completed his residency at Mt. Sinai Medical Center/Cabrini, Rehabilitation Medicine. PART 1 In Part 1 of his presentation, Dr. Flanagan discussed the value that physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) add to health care.His objective in this session is to give an overview of health care r

Dr. Steven Flanagan is Howard A. Rusk Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Chairperson of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Langone Health. He joined NYU Langone Medical Center in 2008 as Professor and Chairman of Rehabilitation Medicine and Medical Director of Rusk Rehabilitation after serving as Vice Chairman of Rehabilitation Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He serves on numerous medical advisory boards and is a peer reviewer for several scientific journals. He has authored numerous chapters and peer-reviewed publications, and has participated in both federally- and industry-sponsored research. His medical degree is from the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey and he completed his residency at Mt. Sinai Medical Center/Cabrini, Rehabilitation Medicine. PART 1 In Part 1 of his presentation, Dr. Flanagan discussed the value that physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) add to health care.His objective in this session is to give an overview of health care r

Megan Conklin serves as Program Manager of Rusk Pediatric Therapy Services, which is part of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone Health. She earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Scranton and has been practicing physical therapy for 15 years, all of them spent at NYU. In 2012, she was awarded the professional designation of board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties of the American Physical Therapy Association. Since 2017, she also has been a part-time faculty member at the University of Scranton teaching pediatric specialty for the doctoral physical therapy program. In this interview, she discusses the following topics:  the kinds of pediatric patients she and the rest of a health care team treat and the nature of health problems involved; how therapies provided in the hospital differ from therapies furnished in the early intervention or school settings; challenges for patients with long-term

Tami Altschuler is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinical Specialist in Patient-Provider Communication at NYU Langone Medical Center and the Rusk Rehabilitation Institute of Medicine in New York, NY. She is spearheading hospital wide initiatives to establish communication access for all patients throughout the continuum of care.  Tami is a board member of the United States Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC) and an active member of the Patient-Provider Communication Forum. She has presented nationally and internationally on the topic of patient-provider communication.        

Dr. Ryan Branski is the Howard A. Rusk Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Research and the Vice Chair for Research in Rehabilitation Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He also has appointments in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the school of medicine and Communicative Sciences and Disorders in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Dr. Branski runs a productive research enterprise encompassing both clinical and laboratory initiatives. His NIH-funded laboratory primarily focuses on wound healing and regenerative approaches to optimized healing in the upper aerodigestive track. Dr. Branski is one of only a few investigators to be named Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Speech Language Hearing Association, and the American Laryngological Association.   In Part 1, Dr Branski discusses:  Barriers that had to be overcome to perform rigorous research on COVID-19 after the appearance of this disease among NYU pati

Dr. Ryan Branski is the Howard A. Rusk Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Research and the Vice Chair for Research in Rehabilitation Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He also has appointments in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the school of medicine and Communicative Sciences and Disorders in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Dr. Branski runs a productive research enterprise encompassing both clinical and laboratory initiatives. His NIH-funded laboratory primarily focuses on wound healing and regenerative approaches to optimized healing in the upper aerodigestive track. Dr. Branski is one of only a few investigators to be named Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Speech Language Hearing Association, and the American Laryngological Association.   In Part 1, Dr Branski discusses:  Barriers that had to be overcome to perform rigorous research on COVID-19 after the appearance of this disease among NYU pati

Dr. Pham is the Section Chief of Infectious Disease at NYU Langone Medical Center. In this interview, he discusses COVID-19 updates, testing, and precautions. The interview is done by Dr. Lyn Weiss, Chair NYU Winthrop, Nocturnist on COVID + Medicine Unit. 

Dr. Marcalee Alexander specializes in the treatment of patients with spinal cord injury. In 2019 she and her husband Craig took a break from full-time practice to educate people about climate change and disability by starting a walk from Canada to Key West to bring attention to issues of persons of disabilities in climate change by educating both professionals and communities. Along with being the first female president of the American Spinal Injury Association, Dr. Alexander has published more than 125 articles and chapters in professional journals and is currently the editor of the journal Spinal Cord Series and Cases. Throughout most of her career, her research has focused on sexuality and spinal cord injury and she is known for performing significant laboratory-based research outlining the impact of specific neurologic injuries on sexual responses. Over the past 15 years she also has had an interest in telemedicine, and she currently has a sexuality telehealth clinic at Spaulding rehabilitation hospital.

Dr. Marcalee Alexander specializes in the treatment of patients with spinal cord injury. In 2019 she and her husband Craig took a break from full-time practice to educate people about climate change and disability by starting a walk from Canada to Key West to bring attention to issues of persons of disabilities in climate change by educating both professionals and communities. Along with being the first female president of the American Spinal Injury Association, Dr. Alexander has published more than 125 articles and chapters in professional journals and is currently the editor of the journal Spinal Cord Series and Cases. Throughout most of her career, her research has focused on sexuality and spinal cord injury and she is known for performing significant laboratory-based research outlining the impact of specific neurologic injuries on sexual responses. Over the past 15 years she also has had an interest in telemedicine, and she currently has a sexuality telehealth clinic at Spaulding rehabilitation hospital.