Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Summit Medical Consultants is proud to employ physicians who are Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, known as Physiatrists. Trained to focus on improving function, physiatrists specialize in treating patients who are undergoing rehabilitation. Whether it be a spinal cord injury, stroke, amputation, head trauma, joint replacement, musculoskeletal pain, or neurodegenerative diseases, physiatrists receive special training on how to improve a patient’s ability to function using an integrative approach.
The goals of a physiatrist are to maximize the patient’s independence in activities of daily living and improve the quality of life. These physicians are trained to coordinate with the therapy team which can include Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-and-Language Therapy, Nursing, and Social Workers to optimize external factors and modalities which can help assist in the patients’ recovery while also coordinating with the medical team to ensure medications are optimized and minimized to reduce polypharmacy. Physiatrists have been on the forefront in the fight against over-prescribing opioid medication and are well versed in adjuvant medication as well as peripheral injections to help manage pain and dysfunction.
Having this extra resource for our patients gives them the comfort of “extra eyes” on them as they progress through an often-challenging recovery. We are glad to employ the most compassionate physicians who thrive on teamwork.
Resources about Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: About Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation