Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

History

Founded in 1954, RIC takes care of patients, advocates for Disability rights, performs research in both basic research Motor control and translational areas, and educates health professionals in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

In December 2009, RIC announced it had purchased the site of the former Chicago "CBS Building" on which to build a new hospital expanding their capacity by 50%. Construction on the new building has started with a planned move in time in 2017

Rehabilitation services

RIC specializes in the treatment of complex conditions such as spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, amputation and chronic pain. They work with pediatric and geriatric clients as well as adults. They offer specialized services, including Assistive Technology, Prosthetics and Orthotics and Vocational Rehabilitation.

Arthritis, Sports and Back, Lymphedema, Women's Health and other clinics are also available.

RIC offers different levels of care, including inpatient, day rehabilitation, and outpatient services. At all levels of treatment, patients are treated by multidisciplinary teams. Each team is led by a physiatrist, a physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Other members of the team could include rehabilitation nurses, physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, respiratory specialists, psychologists, social workers, rehabilitation engineers, orthotists, prosthetists, vocational counselors, recreational therapists or other professionals, as appropriate to individual needs and goals.

Satellite locations

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago has about 30 satellite locations in the Chicago area and Southern Illinois. RIC has formed strategic alliances with Advocate Health Care at Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Riverside Medical Center, Southern Illinois Healthcare, and RML Specialty Hospital.

Feinberg School of Medicine

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is the home of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and operates one of the largest physiatry residency programs in the United States. The Institute offers more than 100 continuing education courses every year through its Dixon Education and Training Center, which attracts more than 7,000 healthcare professionals.

Searle Rehabilitation Research Center

The Searle Rehabilitation Research Center at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is one of the nation’s largest such programs. With more than $6 million in federal and private foundation grants and other donations, and working in collaboration with Northwestern University and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the goal of scientists at the Searle Center is to "provide practical solutions for today and the promise of hope for tomorrow for people with physical disabilities." The Institute is the only federally funded stroke rehabilitation research and training center in the country. Research teams are involved in more than 350 projects, including regenerative medicine, robotics, bionic medicine, neural engineering and man-machine interface.

Health and Fitness Center and Sports Program

The RIC Health and Fitness Center provides exercise classes, personal training and adaptive sports for people with physical impairments. Some programs have a strong rehabilitation focus; others are recreational or competitive. The RIC Wirtz Sports Program, established in 1982, was named a US Paralympics Sports Club in 2008.

Sports teams

The RIC has many sports teams, including the RIC Hornets (men's wheelchair basketball) and RIC Sky (women's wheelchair basketball), RIC Warriors (power soccer), RIC Blackhawks (sledge hockey) and the Chicago Bears Wheelchair Rugby Team (wheelchair rugby). They run a cycling program in conjunction with Handcycling Chicago, wheelchair racing and boccia programs. In the past, they had a swim team.

Many RIC Sports Program participants have represented the USA on international teams, including Paralympic medalists Andy Yohe (sledge hockey) and Sandy Dukat (skiing).

Accreditation

The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.