MDNews - Minnesota

uP CloSE WiTh DR. giNKEl + how do you prefer to spend your time away from the office? Sailing, fishing, scuba diving and cooking + what is your favorite vacation spot? Sailing in a warm ocean somewhere + what is your greatest piece of advice? Work hard. Play hard. be adventurous. + if you could pick another profession, what would it be? Pilot or businessman where patients go to have the doctor "fix" them. At PDR, patients must take an active role in their rehabilitation plan. Patients use specialized spinal rehabilitation equipment, MedX, as well as participate in an extensive lifestyle modification program that includes a home exercise program, ergonomic training and proper lifting techniques. Patients must actively engage in a program that, if followed, will almost guarantee successful functional improvement. Todd Ginkel, dC CEO, PHYSICIANS' DIAGNOSTICS AND REHABILITATION CLINICS: ACTiVEly APPROACHiNg SPiNE PAiN by michael ferguson Physicians' Diagnostics anD Rehabilitation clinics (PDR) ceo toDD ginkel, Dc, establisheD the clinics' beDRock PhilosoPhy uPon the PRinciPle that effective sPinal Rehabilitation RequiRes Patients to take an active Role in theiR Rehabilitation PRogRam. PDR's subspecialized focus on chronic back and neck pain has made them experts in the area of spinal rehab. The specialtytrained clinicians, including physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists as well as advanced-practice physical and occupational therapists, ensure each patient receives a customized, evidencebased plan to meet his or her specific needs. PDR is not a place 18 | Twin Cities MD News ■ MdNewS.CoM addressing Psychosocial factors Oftentimes, patients suffering from long-term neck and back pain have some psychological involvement that can inhibit optimal rehabilitation outcomes. PDR's unique, self-developed Cognitive Behavioral Coaching (CBC) program was established to address these issues. PDR measures baseline psychosocial involvement and considers the findings when formulating a patient's rehabilitation plan. It is measured again at the time of discharge to assess the patient's response to care and to document outcomes. PDR's CBC program allows patients to participate in educational support group sessions at no additional cost. The approach is integrated into daily interactions with PDR's care team to incorporate CBC principles into the patient's life and to address the psychological barriers that may impede his or her recovery. "We can effectively address the physical aspect of neck and back pain 80 percent of the time — the same way physicians cure tonsillitis," Dr. Ginkel says. "We're good at the physical component, but the psychological aspect is the variable so we developed CBC to address this." Cognitive behavioral therapy isn't mandatory, but elements of the approach permeate all facets of therapy at PDR — even in nuanced ways. "We don't use the word 'pain' in our clinic anymore," Dr. Ginkel says. "When we say that, it brings the focus to pain; we want to redirect that focus to patients' functional abilities." PDR received the 2013 HealthPartners Innovation in Health Care Award for their CBC initiative. For more information, please visit www.pdrclinics.com. ■

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