SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital - Richmond Heights

09/30/2025

For patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI) and their families, discharging from the hospital is a critical period. The process can be emotional and overwhelming for some with lots of information to absorb.

The goal of the discharge process is to help patients and families navigate the medical, functional and psychosocial aspects of life after SCI. Patients are provided individualized training sessions, home exercise programs, education on bowel/bladder management and daily care materials. Physiatrists – medical doctors who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) – welcome the support of family and friends as part of a compassionate transition.

Among these resources is the Community, Healing, Education and Training (CHET). It provides straightforward education guides about SCI and other conditions and what to expect throughout a patient’s recovery journey: https://chetcommunity.com/recoveryGuideDetails/EQEXAYWiliIR4sfxw20La

09/27/2025

Michael Scott has a lot of faith in physical therapists. And he has a lot of faith in himself. When a motorcycle crash paralyzed his legs, it didn’t take long for the 29-year-old to move from acceptance to adapting to and overcoming his spinal cord injury. A physician-led team of physical, occupational and recreational therapists from HonorHealth Rehabilitation Hospital were there to help, with innovative technology and helping him develop strategies for everyday tasks like dressing himself.

To learn more about Select Medical’s network of hospitals, visit: https://www.selectmedical.com/about-us/

Lying in his hospital bed moments after a doctor gave him some of the worst news of his life, Michael Scott found solace.

09/26/2025

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) demand highly specialized care. At Select Medical specialty hospitals, an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, therapists, and dietitians and others collaborate to address the complex challenges patients’ face – from blood pressure fluctuations and pain, to muscle loss, pressure sores and digestive issues that can lead to malnutrition.

“Good nutrition plays a supportive role in recovery,” said Camilla Johnson, clinical dietitian, Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation. She supports and educates patients with SCI during their rehabilitation. “In the hospital, good nutrition reduces the length of stay and … it enhances overall outcomes,” she said.

Here are four ways our dietitians contribute to patient care to promote healing and prevent complications.

09/25/2025

Laz Reeder checked into a hospital for hernia surgery, but aspirated during anesthesia and went into respiratory failure. The 35-year-old Florida man needed two life support machines to survive. A month later when Laz had stabilized, his wife Sierra turned to the continuum of care at Select Specialty Hospital - Pensacola and Select Medical Rehabilitation - Pensacola to continue his recovery and rehabilitation. Laz had mountains of motivation waiting for him at home: his baby daughter, Nyla.

Read his full story: https://bit.ly/3IEJZPj

09/25/2025

Life changes with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Nurses play an important role in supporting patients with an SCI and their loved ones as they navigate their recovery journey.

As instrumental players on our physician-led multidisciplinary care team, nurses direct care and advocate for their patients’ physical and emotional needs as they recover and prepare to return home after rehabilitation.

Our Registered Nurses (RNs) provide 24-hour hands-on care, tending to a range of needs from administering medications to monitoring patients’ bowel and bladder functions to ensuring patients change position frequently to avoid pressure wounds. Nurses also reinforce therapy, helping patients put into practice exercises to strengthen deconditioned muscles and new ways of dressing and grooming.

Additionally, nurses offer emotional support to their patients with an SCI – problem-solving with them as they work through challenges. In preparation for discharge, nurses also ensure patients and their loved ones are aware of community resources to support their independence and well-being.

09/24/2025

Pain is a significant problem for patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI) and can come in many forms. Working closely with the patient’s physician and therapy team, the pharmacist will develop a comprehensive pain management plan that helps mitigate and manage pain throughout the patient's journey.

Pharmacists regularly review medications to help these patients manage their pain, calibrating dosage and mitigating side effects. Here are the types of pain experienced by patients with an SCI.

09/22/2025

Patients living with spinal cord injury (SCI) can experience sensory challenges that inhibit mobility and create fall risks. Fall prevention education is a focus throughout the SCI rehabilitation journey by Select Medical specialty hospital teams, including physical therapists.

Physical therapists help educate individuals with SCI about fall risk by integrating safe mobility strategies early into their care plan. For instance, the introduction of any new equipment, such as a bed or wheelchair, increases the risk for falls. Fall prevention is also underscored in a comprehensive rehabilitation plan of care across disciplines to incorporate equipment that builds muscle strength, promotes balance and improves mobility.

Deep commitment and collaboration across the interdisciplinary team of rehabilitation specialists is essential to ensuring the safe discharge of our patients with an SCI.

09/19/2025

Matthew Brooks, 55, was getting ready to go to work as a high school teacher when he suddenly couldn’t tie his shoes. Moments later, he fell. Rushed to the local hospital, tests showed that Matthew had suffered a stroke on the left side of his brain, leaving him unable to move the right side of his body other than his toes. With hope of making as full of a recovery as possible, Matthew headed to SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital - Richmond Heights for intensive inpatient rehabilitation.

Read his story here: https://bit.ly/4nlmA48

09/19/2025

Matthew Brooks, 55, was getting ready to go to work as a high school teacher when he suddenly couldn’t tie his shoes. Moments later, he fell. Rushed to the local hospital, tests showed that Matthew had suffered a stroke on the left side of his brain, leaving him unable to move the right side of his body other than his toes. With hope of making as full of a recovery as possible, Matthew headed to SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital – Richmond Heights for intensive inpatient rehabilitation.

Read his story here: https://bit.ly/4nlmA48

09/18/2025

Inspired by the comfort that Duo Dog Kia provided to him while he was having a seizure, a patient recently surprised his team with a special gift – a hand-drawn sketch of Kia along with a sweet note. Kia laid next to the patient as he was experiencing the seizure, giving him support and relief during a scary moment.

09/18/2025

We asked our clinicians to talk about the importance of the environmental services team, and they did not disappoint.

09/17/2025

A devastating rollover car accident left 19-year-old Nathan Beck with a spinal cord injury. Two spinal fusion surgeries were necessary to prevent any further damage to his spinal cord. Once he was stable, Nathan transferred to Select Specialty Hospital - St. Louis. There, his care team would help him regain the strength to move on his own and care for himself again.

To learn more about Select Medical’s network of hospitals, visit: https://www.selectmedical.com/about-us/

A devastating rollover car accident left Nathan Beck with a spinal cord injury. Two spinal fusion surgeries were necessary to prevent any further damage to his spinal cord. Once he was stable, Nathan transferred to Select Specialty Hospital – St. Louis. There, his care team would help him regain t...

09/17/2025

Across our network of rehabilitation hospitals, our teams lead research projects, write articles and share learnings to help advance patient care. This insight is shared throughout our network to ensure that patient care is a standard practice and shared throughout our profession so that clinicians and patients everywhere can benefit from new knowledge.

09/16/2025

Our nurses continually refine their skills by caring for patients with a wide range of serious health conditions. We understand the complexity of our patients’ conditions and offer robust continuing education and training to ensure our nurses are ready and confident to provide the highest quality, outcomes-based care. New nurses benefit from a range of programs that combine mentorship with hands-on experience to develop their clinical expertise and critical thinking skills.

To learn more about our professional development opportunities, visit: https://careers.selectmedical.com/professional-development/education/hospital-education/

09/15/2025

In observance of National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, we proudly recognize our clinical experts for their commitment to helping patients heal, regain function and return to everyday life.

09/14/2025

Today is the start of Environmental Services Week 🧼

Our Environmental Services (EVS) team maintains clean rooms and public areas within our hospitals, helping to provide safe and quality care. This week, we’ll hear how dedicated EVS colleagues positively impact our network of hospitals.

09/13/2025

A traumatic car crash left Zecharias “Z” McKinney with a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the waist down. He needed help just to sit upright in bed and he wondered how this injury would affect life ahead. Z arrived at Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation - Dallas feeling little hope. But despair turned to determination when he started working with the hospital’s care team. They helped him rebuild strength, taught him mobility strategies and rekindled his hope for the future.

To learn more about Select Medical’s network of hospitals, visit: https://www.selectmedical.com/about-us/

A traumatic car crash left Zecharias “Z” McKinney with a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the waist down. He came to Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation - Dallas to learn how to live independently.

09/12/2025

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is used frequently in our hospital to help patients regain movement after an illness, injury or surgery. FES sends electrical impulses to nerves, which causes the muscle to contract and move. This leads to improved muscle strength, increased circulation and improved use of the arms and legs over time.

This patient utilized FES in therapy so that she could move her arms to pet Duo Dog Kia, who was happy to receive the attention!

06/19/2025

Today, we acknowledge the importance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the abolition of slavery.