The Federally-designated Rehabilitation Innovation Centers: Setting Higher Standards in Rehabilitation Research and Patient Care

Friday, February 23, 2024

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM EDT

Location: Sebastian I

Course Director(s)

Gerard E. Francisco, MD (he/him/his)

Chairman and Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of Texas McGovern Medical School and TIRR Memorial Hermann

Speaker(s)

Rhonda Abbott, PT, FACHE

Senior Vice President & CEO
TIRR Memorial Hermann

Slides
Nancy Paridy, JD, LLM

President & Chief Administrative Officer
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Ross Zafonte, DO

Professor and Chairman of the Department of PM&R at Harvard Medical School
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital/ Harvard Medical School
Freddy Warner, Jr., BFA, BA, JD

Chief Government Relations Officer
Memorial Hermann Health System

In 2003, President Joe Biden signed into law a legislation passed by Congress, named The Dr. Joanne Smith Memorial Rehabilitation Innovation Centers Act of 2022. This Act requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to designate a group of rehabilitation facilities which set the standard for clinical care and research innovation across the country as Rehabilitation Innovation Centers. This interactive panel discussion will feature leaders of some of the facilities exhibiting the criteria of Rehabilitation Innovation Centers under the Act; namely MedStar National Rehabilitation Center, Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Spaulding Rehabilitation, and TIRR Memorial Hermann. After presenting the goals and components of the Rehabilitation Innovation Centers Act, and the planned activities of the centers, the panel of speakers will entertain questions from the audience.