Medical Services: Centers Of Excellence

The Post-Polio Institute: Post-Polio Treatment

Post-Polio Institute - 877-POSTPOLIO or (201) 894-3707.
Email - PostPolioInfo@aol.com

INITIAL EVALUATION

The first step for polio survivors is the diagnosis of PPS. At The Post-Polio Institute, the multi-disciplinary team includes a physiatrist, physical therapist and a psychophysiologist who together perform the initial evaluation.  A comprehensive medical examination that documents your medical history, new physical symptoms and rules out other medical problems that could be causing your new symptoms will be performed.

Dr. Richard Bruno, Director of The Post-Polio Institute performs a psychophysiological evaluation that explores the practical and emotional impact of your new symptoms and documents the physical and emotional stressors that are the leading causes of PPS. The evaluation takes three to four hours and is billed at about $1,200.00. Your cost totally depends on your insurance and whether you live locally or are coming for a long-distance evaluation.

Most health insurance companies and Medicare will pay a large portion (typically 80%) of the charges for the evaluations, tests and therapy sessions. You may need a referral from your personal physician if your managed care plan or HMO is to authorize evaluation and treatment The Post-Polio Institute's staff works with patients to obtain authorization for evaluation, treatment and assistive devices that are recommended.

INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PROGRAM

Therapy for PPS: Patients who live within easy driving distance of Englewood are treated as outpatients. After the initial evaluation, polio survivors receive physical therapy, nutritional counseling and stress-management psychotherapy once a week for 5 weeks:

Physical therapists assess muscle weakness and pain, evaluate posture and walking as well as assistive devices, past and present, such as braces and crutches You will keep daily logs of your activities and symptoms and asked to stop all non-essential activities to help identify the causes of your symptoms;

Weekly individual stress-management psychotherapy sessions will help you identify and reduce emotional stress and start the often difficult process of accepting the changes in your lifestyle that are necessary to treat PPS.

An occupational therapist can assess how you use your body to do work and daily activities, and identify way to simplify your work, conserve energy and decrease fatigue, muscle weakness and pain;

A dietician can address weight loss and or prevent weight gain and, most importantly, help you create a high-protein diet.

Sleep, breathing and swallowing evaluations may also be recommended.

Your PPS treatment team will meet with you and your family during your fifth therapy session to discuss your individualized treatment program and life-style changes and assistive devices you will need to treat your PPS.

The cost of the treatment program has been reduced by about one third, thanks to grants to The Post-Polio Institute.

Most health insurance companies and Medicare will pay a large portion (typically 80%) of the charges for the evaluations, tests and therapy sessions. You may need a referral from your personal physician if your managed care plan or HMO is to authorize evaluation and treatment The Post-Polio Institute's staff works with patients to obtain authorization for evaluation, treatment and assistive devices that are recommended.

We will work with you to get insurance coverage for treatment.

Follow-Up Clinics
Patients continue to keep daily logs for one month after their discharge and return to The Post-Polio Institute for follow-up clinics at intervals of one month, three months, six months and 12 months. Thereafter, patients return for follow-up clinics at any time they have new problems. At the follow-up clinic, patients meet with their PPS treatment team and discuss their progress in making lifestyle changes and managing their symptoms. Modifications and additions to the symptom management program are made and any new symptoms or issues are discussed. Patients are also encouraged to call or meet with their treatment team at any time that a need arises.