Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems
Memorial Hermann|TIRR has been designated as a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model System with funding by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The NIDRR TBI Model Systems program began in 1987 and is the largest research program on recovery from TBI in the world. Over 7,500 persons with TBI have participated in this research program.
The overall goal of the TBI Model Systems program is to conduct research aimed at improving quality of care and outcomes for patients recovering from TBI. Within the program, individuals with TBI who consent to participate in the study are followed for many years after their injuries; some have been followed for more than 18 years.
This program is designed, in part, to help us better understand what goes on in the long-term recovery of persons with TBI. In addition to the long-term follow-up that is conducted as part of the study, each center has additional research projects designed to address specific issues about TBI, including looking at how different treatments might help improve recovery and community participation. However, since the TBI Model Systems program is a research program, these grants do not provide support for direct clinical care.
The Brain Injury Recovery Center (BIRC) at Memorial Hermann|TIRR was one of the original TBI Model Systems sites. The TBI Model System program now consists of 14 centers around the United States. Memorial Hermann|TIRR is one of only six sites nationwide to have both TBI and Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems programs.
The three components of the TBI Model System are
Collaborative Efforts
As part of this TBI Model System grant competition, each applicant submitted a proposal for a collaborative project that would involve at least three other TBI Model System sites. The Memorial Hermann|TIRR proposal was for a project to explore how sexuality is affected by traumatic brain injury, both directly and indirectly.
The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model Systems program at Memorial Hermann|TIRR, one of the premiere traumatic brain injury facilities in the world, will study patients with traumatic brain injury and traumatic head injury. The program will also study traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury rehab and head injury. Other portions of the program will include brain injury, research, communication and brain injury, sexuality and brain injury, and acquired brain injury, as well as focus on outcomes. |
Memorial Hermann|TIRR
