Craig Hospital

Description

Craig Hospital in Denver Colorado is world renowned as a premier center for specialty rehabilitation and research for people with spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury

Craig is a 93bed private notforprofit freestanding acute care and rehabilitation hospital that provides a comprehensive system of inpatient and outpatient medical care rehabilitation neurosurgical rehabilitative care an equipment company and longterm follow up services Nearly half of Craigs patients come from outside of Colorado and in 2008 the hospital treated patients from 47 states and several foreign countries At any given time Craig treats approximately 5055 inpatients with spinal cord injury 2530 with traumatic brain injury and 5060 outpatients Craig provides housing for outofstate families and outpatients including the first 30 days free for families of new inpatients

Craig Hospital is designated by the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research NIDRR as a Model System Center for both spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury Craig is also the NIDRR National Statistical TBI database for the other model system centers 20062011 Craig has been ranked in the top Ten Rehabilitation Hospitals in the nation for 19 consecutive years by US and World Report since the rankings began in 1990 Craig has a remarkable atmosphere and culture that is casual but professional active and upbeat

System of Care
The hospitals comprehensive system of care begins at the onset of injury continues through initial rehabilitation and can assist through a lifetime of followup care Unique sharing arrangements with the Denver areas leading trauma facilities and consultants enable the hospital to offer a full range of clinical and support services Craig coordinates land and air medical transportation to the hospital as necessary As a licensed acute care hospital Craig can accept newly injured patients With early intervention our team can prevent complications and make pivotal decisions about medical and rehabilitative interventions

Interdisciplinary Approach
Each patient and family has a consistent interdisciplinary treatment team of professionals that includes the physician nurses physical therapist occupational therapist patient and family service counselor therapeutic recreation specialist psychologist dietitian and when necessary speech and language pathologist neuropsychologist respiratory therapist and others The team meets regularly with the patient and family to set goals develop treatment plans review progress and coordinate services needed at home following discharge Craig provides a highly individualized and personal approach to treatment focusing on the patients physical cognitive and psychological wellbeing Craig sets high expectations for patient participation in therapy and helps patients set high expectations for themselves

Community Focus
Craig Hospital is located in beautiful Colorado where the sun shines more than 300 days per year and the low humidity allows many of our therapies and activities to be held outdoors For example our therapists regularly take patients into the community and the mountains for valuable reallife learning experiences such as navigating streets rough terrain and public buildings and interacting with the public etc Therapeutic recreation specialists also help patients develop lifelong leisure pursuits and activities Rehabilitation is serious but keeping fun in the process helps our patients stay motivated and active following injury

Powerful Peer Group
One of the most important benefits of Craig Hospital is the opportunity for patients with similar ages backgrounds and injuries to teach encourage and support one another At any given time Craig has approximately 50 inpatients with SCI and 25 inpatients with TBI Families also learn from each other and form supportive relationships This interactive education among peer groups significantly supplements what patients and families learn from the treatment staff and is an extremely valuable benefit of specialized rehabilitation Graduates of Craig and their families consistently credit some of their success to what other patients and families taught them and friendships developed at Craig often last for life

Family Involvement
Craig has always believed that family members are important to a patients rehabilitation and we have designated staff with relatively small caseloads to assist families Counselors assist families with their adjustment to injury understanding insurance policies application for public benefits and discharge planning Craig has no restrictions on visiting hours families are encouraged to attend therapies and be part of the team To underscore our commitment to families Craig offers 30 free days of apartment housing close by during initial inpatient rehabilitation Longer stays can be arranged at a low cost

Patient and Family Education
Patient and family education are highly emphasized Craig has produced a vast library of educational resources available only to our patients and families including SCI and TBI textbooks 35 ondemand videos 320 master tapes and three dozen patient education handouts as well as patient and family education groups Craig Hospital is committed to providing a culturally sensitive working and patient environment The hospital provides interpreter and language assistive services to patients and families Education materials may be available in the patients preferred written or verbal language Craig Hospital staff receives training in cultural competency Part of Craig Hospitals caring environment is its sensitivity to the specific needs of our patients families and staff

Communication is a key component of our programs Regular conferences involving the patient family members physician treatment team and insurance representatives are a standard practice We encourage active involvement from the patients case manager and insurance representatives during the rehabilitation and discharge process and we provide ongoing written and verbal updates and documentation throughout the patients treatment

Inpatient and Outpatient
Patients typically stay in the inpatient program two to four months Length of stay is individualized based on diagnosis severity of injury rate of progress and possible complications Initial rehabilitation often involves a period of transitional living where patients and families live together and learn their care prior to discharge The experience in our stateoftheart transitional suites helps patients and families to go home prepared and confident

Although almost all of our patients return home after discharge life with a spinal cord or traumatic brain injury may require longterm followup services Craig provides periodic consultations clinic checks comprehensive reevaluations and ongoing educational support for our former patients and their families Through decades of research we understand the longterm needs and treatments associated with aging with a disability We also can help patients update equipment and our rehabilitation engineering department can customize equipment not available commercially

Staff Longevity
Craig is highly respected for its staff longevity The long tenure of staff is a tribute to Craigs leadership and results in remarkable expertise and quality services Department Directors average 19 years at Craig Craigs nine attending physicians average 18 years at Craig therapists average 13 years at Craig and nurses average 9 years at Craig Patients and families report 95 good to excellent satisfaction with their Craig experience

Research
The hospitals large research department has been conducting spinal cord injury and brain injury research for decades and along with clinicians have published textbooks and numerous articles that are recognized as key resources in the medical and rehabilitation literature More recently Craigs Center for Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Research has begun pioneering cutting edge neuroscience research toward restorative therapies for central nervous system injuries Craig is collaborating with the Karolinska Institute in Sweden on stem cell research in animals Several other medication trials are also underway

MISSION STATEMENT

Craig Hospitals Mission Statement is

quotTo promote optimal health and quality of life for people affected by spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injuryquot

CORE VALUES

Foster independence in those we serve
Create an environment of peer support
Develop a family atmosphere where caring for others is contagious
Provide each patient and family individualized care through teamwork and collaboration
Educate others about all aspects of life with spinal cord or brain injury
Put fun into the process of rehabilitation

OUR COMMITMENT

Our exclusive dedication to patients with spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury will remain constant as will our commitment to value excellence and caring We will continue to set the standard for quality patient outcomes and service and as always help patients and their families achieve their greatest possible levels of independence

We know that when we assist patients to become independent and productive it is in their best interest as well as the best interest of their employer the insurance company taxpayers and society as a whole We will also be a resource to our former patients and to the professional community through publications presentations and consultations

History

1907 Frank Craig starts the quotTent Colony of Brotherly Lovequot on the plains in Lakewood west of Denver for indigent men with tuberculosis

1916 The first of three building were constructed by 1921 there were 48 cottages and by 1923 there were two additional buildings on W Colfax St

1919 The name of the Tent Colony was changed to quotCraig Colonyquot in memory of Frank Craig who died of tuberculosis in 1914 at the age of 37

1955 As tuberculosis declined with antibiotics Craig shifted its emphasis to multiple diagnoses MS polio MD and SCI

1957 Dr John Young MD arrives at Craig as Medical Director nd intensifies Craigs exclusive focus in spinal cord injury and brain injury rehabilitation Dr Young is regarded as the Founder of the modern Craig and his vision responsible for the success of Craig

1958 Craig is renamed quotCraig Rehabilitation Centerquot and constructs a major addition to the hospital for rehabilitation

1959 After serving Native Americans for years Craig signs a contract with the US Public Health Service Bureau of Indian Affairs to serve Native Americans with spinal cord injury at Craig and establishes a fourtime per year clinic in Gallup NM for longterm followup care for patients in Arizona and New Mexico

1966 Craig is renamed quotCraig Rehabilitation Hospitalquot

1968 Dr Young moves to Phoenix and Robert R Jackson MD becomes medical director Dr Jackson is credited with Craigs rejuvenated financial health through his advocacy with national insurance carriers as to the value of quality specialized rehabilitation

1969 Governor John Love proclaims March 915 quotCraig Rehabilitation Hospital Week in Coloradoquot in recognition of quotthe hospitals many contributions to state regional and national health care for the severely disabledquot 1970 Craig moves from Lakewood to Englewood and builds an 80 bed rehabilitation hospital on the grounds of Swedish Hospital connected to Swedish by a tunnel to access radiology laboratory surgery and other ancillary services

1970 Craig begins inhouse neurosurgical program with Robert Edgar MD

1973 Craig modified apartments across the street for transitional living experiences for patients and for families of inpatients

1973 Craig becomes one of the federallydesignated SCI Model Systems Centers in the US and begins enrolling patients in 1974

1974 Current President Denny OMalley starts first year as President of Craig

1974 Designed by Harry R Hahn MD Craig opens the shared Neurotrauma Unit at Swedish Hospital one of the first models of its kind with both intensive medical care and early rehabilitation therapy with a Craig physician Swedish nurses Craig and therapists

1975 Craig is renamed quotCraig Hospitalquot by the Board to reflect the medical and rehabilitation services provided

1975 Craig therapeutic recreation staff play major in international wheelchair athletics and fourteen Craig athletes compete in National Wheelchair Athletic Association Games

1977 The Traumatic Brain Injury Team is created distinct from the Spinal Cord Injury teams under the direction of Harry Hahn MD and soon after is intensely developed by by Mark Cilo MD

1978 Craig and quotPetequot Peterson MD intensify treatment and study of ventilatordependent patients high quadriplegia and publish a leading text The Management of High Quadriplegia in 1989 and a national seminar in 1980

1980 With administrative support Craig Hospital staff were instrumental in the creation and early development of the Colorado Head Injury Foundation later the Brain Injury Association of Colorado which was responsible for the first statewide TBI Report to the Governor in 1987

1980 Craig begins regular SCI Outreach Clinics with physicians and clinicians in Casper Wyoming and Grand Junction Colorado Expanded in 1987 to Pueblo Colorado as well

1983 Craig finishes 6200 sq ft building expansion with a large gymnasium outpatient clinic media studio therapy areas and department offices

1984 Current Medical Director Daniel P Lammertse MD begins first year as Craigs Medical Director

1985 Craig establishes an inhouse Neuroscience Lab with EMG lab neuromuscular lab and neurosurgery lab begins preFDA Ergys bike clinical trial

1987 Craig physicians and staff are widely sought for presentations and publications and average 75 professional presentations per year and publish 2025 articles and book chapters per year

1989 US News and World Report begins ranking hospitals and ranks Craig in Top Ten Rehabilitation Hospitals in the US

1991 Craig is trial site in ParastepFES ambulation clinical trial

1990 Craig staff and Robert Menter MD intensify study and treatment of aging in spinal cord injury and publish a leading text Aging in Spinal Cord Injury in 1993

1996 Craig completes a new quottransitionalquot building on the East Side of Clarkson St with innovative patientfamily rooms adjoining skybridge and multiple treatment areas research and business space increases the number of total hospital beds to 93

1996 Scott Falci MD conducts first embryonic spinal cord transplantation in the world for syringomyelia in Stockholm Sweden published in J of Neurotrauma 1997

1998 Craig becomes a federallydesignated TBI Model Systems Center by NIDRR

2002 Craig constructs and opens a new 47 unit Outpatient and Family Housing Facility oncampus for reevaluation patients and families of inpatients to replace its aging apartments

2003 Craig constructs and opens an inhouse Cell Center with a Class 10000 Clean Room and becomes first trial site in the US for Proneurons Phase II Activated Macrophage Clinical Trial

2004 Denny OMalley celebrates his 30th year as President of Craig Daniel P Lammertse MD celebrates his 20th year as Medical Director The Multitrauma Unit at Swedish is 30 years old

2005 Craig was awarded the prestigious Magnet Status Designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center

2005 Finalist in El Pomar Joel AH Webb Award for HealthcareLarge

2006 Was reawarded TBI Model System Center designation and the TBI National Statistical Data Center by NIDRR for 20062011 Was reawarded SCI Model System Center designation by NIDRR for 20062011 Launched wwwmycraigorg website exclusively for Craig alumni and their families

2007 Celebrated our 100 Year Anniversary of our founding by Frank Craig in 1907 Colorado Biz Magazine quotBest Healthcare Companyquot Award