Model Spinal Cord Injury System trends, and implications for the future

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Neurology
• Public Health

Background:

• The federally designated Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems program has operated for 25 years.
• Significant growth in the number, location, and composition of these systems has occurred.
• Extensive data has been collected on individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in spinal cord injury (SCI) care over the past 25 years.
• To examine the impact of managed care on SCI treatment.
• To provide insights into the future of SCI care and the Model Systems program.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a large dataset comprising approximately 19,000 individuals with acute traumatic spinal cord injuries.
• Review of over 117,000 total records within the Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems database.
• Comparison of care trends across different time periods, including the recent decade.

Main Results:

• The program has expanded significantly, collecting substantial data on SCI patients.
• Managed care has become a dominant factor influencing healthcare delivery in the last decade.
• The data allows for identification and analysis of critical trends in SCI care.

Conclusions:

• The Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems program provides a valuable resource for understanding SCI care evolution.
• Future SCI care strategies must consider the impact of managed care and evolving treatment paradigms.
• The program's data is crucial for informing future research and policy in spinal cord injury rehabilitation.