Meet February’s Provider of the Month: Kristen Scheirman
Provider of the Month: Kristen Scheirman
Name: Kristen Scheirman
Type of Professional: Speech Language Pathologist
Years using IM: 3
Facility Name: Centre for Neuro Skills
Location: Irving, TX
Population Served: Mainly adults with TBI; post-acute and neurobehavioral rehabilitation.
What made you look into IM? WI saw my coworkers using it, and became interested in IM. Also, being a musician, I was immediately drawn to the metronome beat.
Tell us about your business (patients served, size of practice, services offered, how often you use IM and the Fall Risk Reduction coaching program in daily practice): We are a post-acute rehab center treating those who have suffered brain injuries from car accidents, stroke, etc. We have inpatient and outpatient services, and provide speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling and education therapy. Most patients receive about 6 hours of therapy a day. We have 5 IM certified SLPs, 3 of whom (including myself) use IM on a daily basis. With patients, I spend about 3 hours a day administering IM therapy.
Fall Risk Reduction Coaching incorporation and use: The Fall Risk Reduction Coaching program first intrigued me because I noticed that I was focusing more on cognitive gains. Here, at the facility, we usually co-treat patients with PTs and OTs. Once I started implementing the Fall Risk Reduction coaching program, not only were patients seeing improvement in their cognitive skills, but in their balance also. The PTs started noticing the additional gains and it has been really successful.
Favorite thing about Fall Risk Reduction Coaching? The immediate results. One particular case I had involved a patient who had a Right Hemispheric Stroke and had a history of falling. After working with her, using IM and the Fall Risk Reduction program, I was able to have her standing on foam, while clapping, for one minute. Previously, and according to her PT, she was unable to stand for 30 seconds on foam (without the clapping). Her progress surprised everyone, including herself. She began exhibiting increased confidence and reduced falling.
What marketing methods have you found successful, what ones have failed: We have an internal marketing department that handles the marketing, especially with other facilities. Really, the patients bring in a lot of excitement. Once they start IM therapy, most of them really enjoy it and are able to see the benefits. Then they spread the word!
Tip for other IM Providers: Be flexible, open and creative; think out of the box. The Fall Risk Reduction kit is really helpful. The Stroop poster is great; I enjoy using it to address cognitive shifting by having the patient switch direction on the poster during the trial. Also, it’s really important to cater to each client; it really does improve their overall outcomes (not just speech and balance).
Anything else: The PTs I work with really like that I am including IM training in therapy. They get to see additional progress that happens because of IM.