NEXUS HEALTH SYSTEMS WORKS TO EMERGE PATIENTS FROM DISORDERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

BRAIN INJURY & DISORDERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS FACTSDepending on the severity of a brain injury, an individual can experience impaired consciousness resulting in confusion and disorientation, as well as more acute disorders of consciousness (DOC) including coma, persistent vegetative state (PVS), and minimally conscious state (MCS).

Information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury

Nexus Health Systems’ new Emerging Consciousness Program – also known as The Phoenix Project – provides patients in an altered state of consciousness another option on the path to recovery. Read on to learn about the program details and objectives, as well as patient success stories.

TBIs result in short- and long-term issues effecting cognitive and motor function, sensation, and emotion

Blasts are a leading cause of TBI for active duty military personnel in war zones

TBI is a diagnosis in more than

282,000 hospitalizations and

2.5 million emergency department visits annually

The Phoenix Project, led by Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. John W. Cassidy, is a holistic program combining a variety of specialties, including neuropsychology, neuropharmacology, physical, occupational, and speech therapy. From the formalization of the program in early 2018, Dr. Cassidy’s team has seen significant improvement in the wakefulness and awareness of 75% of patients admitted to the program.

Patients of all ages are admitted to Nexus Children’s Hospital and Nexus Specialty Hospital as part of the program. Individuals in our program admit with a disorder of consciousness due to an acquired brain injury. More specifically, patients fall into the following categories:

Trauma (TBI)

» Motor vehicle accidents

» Gunshot wounds

» Falls

» Industrial accidents

Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accidents)

» Ischemia

» Hemorrhages

» Aneurysms/AV malformations

Anoxia

» Cardio-Pulmonary arrest

» Toxicity from drug overdose or poisoning

» Near drowning/asphyxia/hanging

The Phoenix Project Overview

Justin Swanson was in an 18-wheeler accident on June 26, 2012, just nine months after his return from two military tours in the combat zone of Iraq. He suffered a compressed skull fracture after the 80,000-pound truck he was driving flipped three times after fishtailing on the road.

Like a true champion, Justin “refused to lose”, just as his dad taught him during countless hours of football practice growing up. From the lengthy surgery the night of the accident to his rehabilitation journey, Justin endured a lot and began improving once he made it to Nexus Specialty Hospital. After just three months, he came out of the coma he was in since post-surgery and signaled a thumbs up to his parents.

“We told Dr. Cassidy what Justin did but he didn’t believe us,” explained James Swanson, Justin’s dad. “But I had it recorded and when Dr. Cassidy saw it he was all excited, and [from then on] Justin started responding more.”

As part of the Nexus family for six years, Justin has resided at both Nexus Specialty Hospital and Nexus Neurorecovery Center. He participates in speech-language, physical and occupational therapy as well as an aphasia group. His parents credit the amazing staff at Nexus for helping him do more now than ever before.

“He wasn’t supposed to do anything, let alone make it through the night, now he’s driving [his wheelchair], communicating, picking colors out and recognizing us and his friends,” James Swanson said.

Justin recently began using a new wheelchair that enables him to stand and roll around upright. His body is getting stronger and his parents believe that while the process may be slow, it’s also steady, and they see Justin being fully independent in the future.

“He’s counting to twenty, walking around the gym with three people around him and getting up all by himself,” shared Amy Swanson, Justin’s mom. “The little bitty things are turning into bigger things.”

This place is magical.

NEXUS CHAMPION

JUSTIN SWANSONOverall, the program aims to improve cognitive, functional, and behavioral capabilities to a level where the patient who was in a coma, vegetative state, or minimally conscious state can re-enter society and families can safely take him or her home.

Utilizing the JFK Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), Nexus Health Systems’ interdisciplinary medical team diagnostically assesses patient progress, predicts outcomes, projects disposition needs, plans treatment, and judiciously communicates with insurers. After a patient progresses to a minimally conscious state, other evaluative tools are used to measure the patient’s awareness, including tolerance to sitting upright, tracking, using extremities in a purposeful manner, and following commands.

* Services may vary between Nexus Children’s Hospital Houston and Orange.

THE PHOENIX PROJECT OBJECTIVES & EVALUATIONObjectives of The Phoenix Project begin with determining and monitoring the patient’s level of consciousness and evaluating barriers to recovery of consciousness. Focus during this time includes:

» Normalizing his or her sleep/wake cycle

» Improving alertness during the day

» Initiating sensory stimulation treatment

» Beginning medically appropriate rehabilitation

THE PHOENIX PROJECT DESCRIPTION Individualized treatment to support the increase in wakefulness and alertness

Prior to Admission, the Patient is Evaluated for Program Eligibility

PATIENT IS ADMITTED & LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS

IS DETERMINED» Patient is assessed for range of

motion, strength, tone, and grip

» Patient is evaluated for ability to sit upright, open eyes, track, and follow commands

» Physical, occupational, and speech therapy begins

» Patient is evaluated to decide the next step in recovery

» Most patients transfer to Nexus Neurorecovery Center for individualized therapy

» Other patients discharge to an acute rehabilitation facility or even home

» Medications are prescribed to improve wakefulness and alertness

» Goal is for the patient progress to a minimally conscious state

» Milestones include waking up, saying one’s name, tracking a person, and being weaned off the ventilator and decannulated

NEUROPHARMACOLOGICAL PLAN IS DEVELOPED

» Patient performs activities of daily living (ADLs), including brushing hair, tossing a ball, or writing

» Patient demonstrates awareness of the environment by opening their eyes when a family member speaks to them or following commands

EARLY INTERVENTION REHABILITATION IS INITIATED

PATIENT OUTCOMES ARE MONITORED & ADJUSTMENTS

ARE MADE

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DR. JOHN W. CASSIDY Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Medical Officer

Dr. John W. Cassidy is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has over 30 years of experience in clinical neuroscience and neurobehavioral rehabilitation programs. Currently operating as CEO and Chief Medical Officer of Nexus Health Systems – which he founded in 1992 – Dr. Cassidy was previously the Psychiatrist in Charge and Co-Founder of the Neuropsychiatry Program at McLean Hospital; Chief Medical Officer and Founder of the Neurobehavioral Institute of Houston; Director and Founder of the Neuropsychiatry Subspecialty Services of Del Oro Rehabilitation Hospital; and Medical Director of Neurobehavioral Programs at Cypress Creek Hospital.

Devoting his career to improving the understanding and treatment of individuals with acquired and traumatic brain injuries, Dr. Cassidy continues to help patients return to productive and meaningful lives through a neurospecialty continuum of care. His comprehensive rehabilitative approach delivers more than traditional therapies, addressing a person’s interpersonal, behavioral, cognitive, physical, and emotional challenges to ensure a more successful rehabilitation journey and clinical outcome.

Dr. Cassidy received his Bachelor of the Science from Hiram College and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. In addition, he received his post-graduate training at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Cassidy has spoken nationally and internationally about the sequela and management of severe traumatic brain injury and authored three books and a number of papers, book chapters, and editorials.

Dr. John. W. Cassidy Named Health Care Hero by Houston Business Journal. This May, Dr. Cassidy was recognized by the Houston Business Journal for his dedication to the medical field, service to patients and their families, and impact on the community.

nexusphoenixproject.com

Ask what our CARF accreditation means to you.

Nexus Specialty Hospital and Nexus Children’s Hospital are accredited by DNV-GL’s NIAHO® and are ISO 9001:2008 certified.

Mindstorms: The Complete Guide for Families Living with Traumatic Brain Injury

Dr. John W. Cassidy describes the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in his

compassionate and comprehensive manual that demystifies this often frightening

and life-changing condition.

Since 1992, Nexus has reframed what rehabilitation and post-acute care should provide patients. As a leader in complex neurorehabilitation, our health system takes the entire person in view, understanding specifically what has happened neurologically to better predict challenges and create treatment strategies for long-term success. A continuum of care across multiple facilities ensures all patients receive treatment in a least restrictive environment where skills are developed, functions are increased, and greater independence is gained.

As a family owned and operated health system, Nexus is different than traditional hospital and rehabilitation environments in that our facilities are family focused and home-like. Our interdisciplinary team invests in our patients’ journeys, making long-lasting relationships and engaging patients in proven therapies tailored to their individual goals. Sensitive to patients’ and families’ needs throughout rehabilitation, Nexus is mending minds and returning patients to lives of productivity and meaning.

FACILITIES IN OUR HEALTH SYSTEM.

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ADMISSIONS

To refer a patient or to schedule a complimentary informational session or tour for your patient at any Nexus Health Systems facility, please call the admissions office at 713.482.3372.

Every patient served will need a physician’s order/referral to proceed.