Recovering from a spinal cord injury — whether the result of a traumatic event or continued healing after spinal surgery — can be a difficult process. At Sutter Rehabilitation Institute, we know that your goal is to return to a productive life as quickly as you can — and we’re here to help you make that happen.
Our Spinal Cord Injury Program is led by a medical director who is board certified in spinal cord injury medicine. Sutter Rehabilitation Institute is the only CARF-accredited Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Program in Northern California, outside of the Bay Area.
Our spinal cord injury team includes specialty-trained physicians, therapists, social workers, neuropsychologists, case managers and certified rehabilitation registered nurses who focus on bowel and bladder care, skin integrity, self-care and mobility. Our spinal cord injury peer counselors – who have sustained spinal cord injuries themselves – are passionate about helping each person return to a productive life. You also work with our recreation therapist who can show you new ways to follow your passions and return to the community.
Our rehabilitation services include:
- Personal, individualized therapy designed to address your needs and goals.
- Training in wheelchair mobility and ambulation as able.
- Leading-edge robotic rehabilitation technologies, including EksoNR™ exoskeleton and the ZeroG® body-weight support system.
- Bowel and bladder retraining.
- Training in self-care.
- Family and caregiver education and support, community resources and support group services.
- Wheelchair-accessible van to take you into the community for practice or fun.
- Multi-surface outdoor therapy area to practice wheelchair mobility on all types of different terrain.
- Supportive counseling for you and your family to assist you as you adjust to a new lifestyle.
- A transitional apartment stay may be recommended by the treatment team to allow patients and families to stay together and practice daily life with support before going home.
Continuum of Care in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
Inpatient rehabilitation is only the first step of the rehabilitation journey. As needed, our team will refer you to follow-up services, such as home health services, home- or community-based rehabilitation, or outpatient therapies.
After you leave inpatient rehabilitation, you can also take part in the Follow-up Clinic, offered by Sutter Rehabilitation Institute rehabilitation doctors. During Follow-up Clinic days, a doctor, neuropsychologist or rehabilitation specialist can check on the progress of people recently discharged from inpatient rehabilitation.
Sutter Rehabilitation Institute also offers a spinal cord injury follow-up program to our patients. The Annual Follow-Up Program is designed to offer a status review through follow-up surveys and if necessary a follow-up appointment (telephone, telehealth or in-person) can be offered. The annual review addresses a broad spectrum of lifelong health and well-being issues, such as:
- Adjustment to disability
- Community participation
- Education, equipment, medical, occupational and functional status
- Sexual health and reproduction
- Transportation
- Life-long plans
- Identified risks
- Recreational activities and opportunities
Contact us at SutterRI@sutterhealth.org or (916) 878-2588 or (877) 870-2588 (toll-free) if you would like to participate in the SCI annual follow up program or have questions.
What to Expect
Learn more about what you can expect during your Institute stay:
- Our Facility
- Recovery Is All About You
- What to Expect During Your Stay
- Rehabilitation Treatment Goals
- Policies and Visitor Information
- What to Bring With You
- Education and Support
- Patient Outcome Data (PDF) English | Spanish
Becoming a Patient
To become a patient at Sutter Rehabilitation Institute, you must:
- Be at least 17 years old. Adolescents between 15 and 17 are considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Require frequent access to a rehabilitation physician, who will oversee your medical needs and functional plan of care.
- Require 24-hour rehabilitation nursing.
- Need at least two types of therapy.
- Be able to tolerate a relatively intense therapy program, consisting of at least three hours of therapy per day, five days a week. An individualized schedule will be created for you and will include frequent rest breaks throughout the day.
- Have the ability to achieve rehabilitation goals in a reasonable time period.
If you meet these requirements, call (916) 878-2588 or (877) 870-2588 (toll free) to setup an assessment.
Helpful Resources
