Tillers Adds VitalStim Therapy

The Tillers has recently expanded its dysphagia therapy to include the adjunctive use of VitalStim Therapy, a non-invasive neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) therapy modality. Available to clinicians since 2003. VitalStim Therapy has been shown in clinical research to speed a dysphagia patient's recovery when used in tandem with standard dysphagia therapy. Often this improvement means getting a patient off a feeding tube faster, with significant resulting cost savings to the health care system and an improved quality of life for the patient.

"I am simply delighted that we have VitalStim Therapy available to our patients now," says Jo Ransford, Director of Rehabilitation. "We see so many people with this affliction and now we can offer them as effective and innovative solution in addition to the outstanding care we provide now."

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a sorely neglected medical condition which affects 15 million Americans and is generally caused by a neurological disorder or event, such as a stroke, degenerative neurological diseases and head and neck cancer. Without proper management, dysphagia can lead to aspiration, pneumonia, choking, chronic malnutrition, severe life-threatening dehydration, an increased rate of infection, longer hospital stays, long-term institutional care and even death.

VitalStim Therapy is a non-invasive external electrical stimulation therapy that was cleared to market by the FDA in December 2002. A leading brand within the EMpi Recovery Sciences line of pain management and rehabilitation products, VitalStim can be administered via a portable, dual-channel electrotherapy system or via the Experia clinical device. The Experia - being used by the Tillers - offers the additional function of surface electromyography (sEmg) and biofeedback that combine to engage the patient during the therapy sessions, thereby making them an active participant in their recovery process. The patented systems include specifically designed electrodes for delivery of NMES for the treatment of dysphagia.

A typical patient will receive 12-15, 1-hour VitalStim Therapy sessions. A recent published study, "Adjunctive Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Treatment-Refractory Dysphagia," detailed the measured clinical effect of the VitalStim program on patients with chronic, treatment-refractive dysphagia:

• 80% of patient reached the defined primary end-point of clinical improvement in swallowing ability;
• All patients in the study significantly increased the range and amount of materials consumed orally, with most of the patients progressing from a restricted, single-consistency diet to a full oral diet;
• The average weight gain for the group over the three-week treatment period was two pounds;
• Patients involved with the study perceived significant improvement in their ability to swallow after treatment;
• No patient experienced any swallowing-related medical complication over the treatment period

To learn more about The Tillers and their Dysphagia Therapy program, please visit us at http://www.thetillers.com/ or call 630-554-1001.

Wound Care Specialist Joins Tillers

Thomas Drost, M.D., a member of the Vohra Wound Physicians, has joined The Tillers as their Wound Care Specialist. Dr. Drost is a wound care physician that focuses on skilled nursing homes in the Chicago area. He received his medical degree from the University of Nevada School of Medicine, attended Bastyr University for a degree in Naturopathy, and served his internship at the University of South Florida College of Medicine.

By joining the Tillers, he will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will complement the wound care efforts to their residents. Dr. Drost said, "I am privileged and very happy to be a part of the Tillers community and look forward to a long and healthy relationship."

Dr. Drost will be working directly with Kristen Etchison, Assistant Director of Nursing and Certified Wound Care Nurse. He will be rounding on a weekly basis to manage wounds and work with residents and family members in outlining realistic goals. According to Kristen, "Even though Tillers has not had any issue with wound management, adding Dr. Drost will expand our ability to care for more complicated cases that would ordinarily have to remain in the hospital. We are excited to see the decrease in wound healing times with weekly physician oversight."

Mr. Robert Saxon, Administrator of The Tillers says, "With the addition of Dr. Drost, our staff will be better educated in wound care management and prevention, and therefore add to the excellent standard of care we provide to the adult and geriatric population that we serve in our community."