Department for rehabilitation of the patients after traumatic brain injury The highest levels of comprehensive rehabilitation, research and professional education

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Welcome to URI SOČA

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Care and quality

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Rehabilitation programs

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A reliable team of experts

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Learn about your rehabilitation process

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How to get admitted

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Welcome to URI Soča

Welcome and thank you for considering the University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia – Soča as the institution for your rehabilitation. Our institute, named URI Soča for short, was named after the emerald river Soča flowing out of the heart of the Alps. Just as the river Soča runs over different obstacles on its way, our experts with their knowledge, diagnostic and therapeutic equipment search for the best path to an independent and wholesome life for our patients. The current results of URI – Soča in physical and rehabilitation medicine are based on our continuous development since 1954. Our commitment to the improvement of rehabilitation programs has become stronger during those years. The success of our rehabilitation programs is based on teamwork and contemporary diagnostic and therapeutic equipment

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including robotics and telerehabilitation. The research department at URI – Soča is constantly developing new technological solutions for therapy and evaluation. These are then included in the clinical practice in cooperation with our medical team. We recognize medical technical aids as an important part of rehabilitation that assists patients in their everyday activities. Our experts in the field of medical devices cooperate with the patient and the medical team to find the most suitable devices adapted to each individual patient. The patients can reside for a few days in our Dom IRIS smart home equipped with state-of-the-art medical devices that enable independent living at home. There, they can select the most suitable devices out of the many possibilities offered.

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Care and quality URI – Soča specializes in the comprehensive multi-professional rehabilitation of patients with various disabilities. Our medical team ensures the selection and performance of suitable therapies that facilitate the rehabilitation process. Our entire staff ensures a high level of comfort and satisfaction. With the words of one of our patients: “All the staff try to bring back a smile on the faces of the patients.” We treat over 15,000 out-patients and 1,800 in-patients yearly. We are proud to care for the most demanding patients from all over the world. Each year we treat patients from Germany, Kuwait, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Libya and many other countries. Our continuous improvement of the quality of the rehabilitation programs has been the basis for receiving the ISO 9001:2008 and DNV accreditation certificate for hospitals. URI – Soča is also an accredited teaching centre for physical and rehabilitation medicine. Several employees are recognised researchers. All this has placed URI – Soča among the best rehabilitation centres in Europe. The certificates assure the testable quality of services at the highest levels.

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Rehabilitation programs The department for the rehabilitation of patients after an acquired brain injury, with multiple sclerosis and neuro-muscular diseases, performs rehabilitation for the following patients: Adult patients following severe traumatic brain injury after intensive and acute treatment. Adult patients after a hypoxic brain injury (e.g. after heart failure with resuscitation, suffocation) after intensive and acute treatment. Adult patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis of all types. Adult patients diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.

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Reliable team of experts At the centre of the expert team is the patient and the program of rehabilitation is adjusted to each patient individually. The rehabilitation program is conducted by a team of experts consisting of: A medical doctor - specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, A neurophysiotherapist follows an individually prescribed program of neurophysical therapy for all impairments to the patient’s motor system and uses physical therapy interventions to treat various pain syndromes. An occupational therapist performs therapy to improve upper limb function, increase independence in daily activities and advises and handles the fitting of medical devices for easier performance of everyday activities. A specialist in clinical psychology evaluates psychological functions and works with the patient to improve cognitive functions such as

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memory, attention and focus, awareness and emotional functioning. A speech and language therapist performs treatment for impairments to verbal and written communication, breathing and swallowing. A respiratory therapist educates the patient on appropriate breathing and coughing manoeuvres, and conducts specific exercises to improve the lung function. An engineer of prosthetics and orthotics advises the patient and manufactures individuallyadjusted orthoses for all body areas. A team of medical nurses is responsible for rehabilitation care, assists patients and monitors nutrition, takes care of wounds and the skin and educates patients on the use of devices for selfcare and daily activities. If necessary, the team includes a neurologist, a neurosurgeon, an internal medicine specialist, a psychiatrist, an orthopaedic surgeon and a plastic surgeon.

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Learn about your rehabilitation process The rehabilitation program starts daily with morning care when the patient learns the morning daily activities with the assistance of medical nurses. The patient is educated on facial care, dressing, personal hygiene, transfer to a wheelchair and eating. After the morning care, the patient attends the prescribed programs of therapy, where he or she receives individual treatment by therapists and experts with contemporary methods and techniques. The methods and techniques in the therapeutic programs include individual »one-to-one« treatment such as proprioceptive neurofacilitation, sensory stimulation, training in strength and endurance, balance and motor coordination, as well as the use of modern technical devices such as robotized training for improved gait (Lokomat) and the use of robotized therapy for the upper limbs. When indicated, the patient is referred to the program of pain therapy, where physical therapists apply the prescribed treatment using contemporary and new devices.

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If necessary, the patient attends hydrotherapy in a therapeutic pool or therapeutic (Hubbard) bath. Whenever indicated or in the event of complications (at any time during the stay at the department), the patient can undergo necessary diagnostic procedures at the University Rehabilitation Institute or Ljubljana University Medical Centre. In cases of disturbing spasticity, which is frequent in conditions treated at the department, the patient can be treated with botulinum toxin injections into spastic muscles or in the case of severe generalized spasticity, a test of the effects of intrathecal baclofen can be performed. In-between the therapy sessions, the patient can rest in the hospital room or socialize with other patients and staff in the daily room. Therapy programs regularly take place on weekday mornings, while they can be performed in the afternoons or weekends upon individual arrangement.

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How to get admitted? To ensure the highest level of services and to meet your expectations, we pay special attention to the patient's suitability for rehabilitation at our institution. Therefore, our medical team first studies a patient's medical documentation and evaluates his or her suitability for admission and the expected rehabilitation results. Before admission, our medical team needs: Medical records of previous treatment, Description of the current clinical state, Description of the current functional state, The expectations of the patient and relatives – the rehabilitation goals. The documentation can be sent to the marketing department at [email protected] or faxed to +386 1 4758 599. Within one week of receiving your documentation, the marketing department will contact you in regard to your admission, suggested length of rehabilitation and its costs.

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Should you decide on rehabilitation at our institute, you will receive the phone number of one of our staff who will be your contact person regarding your arrival and other logistic issues. The contact person will also be your host and will be available to answer any questions during the rehabilitation. Your host will make sure you feel welcome. He or she can organize transportation from the airport to the clinic, find a hotel or organize excursions. Beside the beautiful sights of Slovenia such as the charming Lake Bled and the mysterious Postojna caves, you can visit Vienna, Venice, Salzburg and other European sights.

We are available for any questions and information. We can be contacted at: Marketing department Phone: +386 1 4758 200 | Fax: +386 1 4758 599 E-mail: [email protected]

University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia−Soča Linhartova 51 ▪ Ljubljana ▪ Slovenia Phone: +386 1 4758 200 Fax: +386 1 4758 599 E-mail: [email protected]

www.ir-rs.si/en