RECOVER Program
RECOVER Program: Reimagining care for patients with disorders of consciousness
When it comes to caring for people who have experienced disorders of consciousness after a severe, acute brain injury, Penn Medicine specialists go the extra mile to provide compassionate, long-term care. Our Recovery of Consciousness Via Evidence-Based Medicine and Research (RECOVER) Program provides specialized care and ongoing partnerships between patients with disorders of consciousness, their loved ones, and their care providers.
Disorders of consciousness include a variety of conditions, such as a coma, the vegetative state, or the minimally conscious state, and are often caused by sudden brain injury. Through a team of clinicians dedicated to caring for patients and their families, the RECOVER Program combines innovative research, focused education, and collaboration with specialists across disciplines to help improve our patients’ quality of life.
More than treatment: A combination approach for impaired consciousness
If your loved one is in a coma, the Penn Medicine care team is here to guide you and your family along every step of the way. The RECOVER Program helps patients, families, caretakers, and providers evaluate and choose the right decisions for them. This happens through an effective mix of clinical care, research, and education.
During a patient’s initial hospitalization, they're evaluated by dedicated staff who specialize in disorders of consciousness. The team will offer:
- State-of-the-art techniques for detecting and predicting consciousness recovery
- Meetings with health-care providers who specialize in caring for patients with disorders of consciousness resulting from brain injury
- Treatments to improve consciousness
- Compassionate support to patients and families
The challenges of disorders of consciousness often do not stop after patients leave the hospital. Our RECOVER Program is there for patients and families along their journey of recovery. Our clinic offers an opportunity for patients and families to remain in contact with our specialized providers, who can help them address and overcome whatever obstacles may arise. It’s a team effort to ensure that your loved one gets the most appropriate care, and Penn Medicine is honored to be a part of your team.
Many of our doctors are also researchers who actively search for more effective treatments and an improved understanding of patients with disorders of consciousness. We integrate the most current research into our care plans. Our involvement in clinical trials helps bring our patients new and innovative treatments, often before they’re widely available.
Our RECOVER Program is dedicated to not only providing the highest standards of care in the present but also ensuring that care continues to improve for the future. This means educating the next generation of care providers. Our RECOVER Program is privileged to partner with world class trainees from the University of Pennsylvania, who are integrated into our care teams to provide personalized attention to patients and their families.
Disorders of consciousness treatment at Penn Medicine
At Penn Medicine, our goal is to improve the quality of life for people with, or recovering from, disorders of consciousness. Our care teams use the latest tools to better understand each patient’s needs. We also collaborate with experts in different fields to bring experience from multiple specialty areas. This allows us to determine the best treatment plan for each individual patient to enhance their outcome. For some patients, their plan may include medications, rehabilitation, or surgery. For other patients, it could be a combination of two or all three treatments.
We strongly believe that family participation in the care process is therapeutic, both for our patients and their families. We encourage family members to ask questions and get information from our care team because we want our patients’ families to have a complete understanding of the treatment plan.
Conditions we treat
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