Traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury: A comparative analysis of the characteristics and organization of rehabilitation care and services in Québec

02-19-2013 | Traumatology

A spinal cord injury is a serious condition characterized by the impaired transmission of nerve impulses, the development of motor and sensory dysfunctions and impaired autonomic functions. In 1997, The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) designated two centers of expertise, made up of five institutions from the health care network, to treat patients with a traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI).

All victims of a TSCI must be referred to one of these two centers of expertise. This patient referral process is the subject of province-wide inter-hospital agreements and transfer protocols.  In the case of non-traumatic spinal cord injury (NTSCI) patients, care management and pathway are often fragmented and not as well coordinated as those of TSCI patients and the delay between the date of the precipitating event and the date of admission to rehabilitation is apparently longer.

INESSS analyzed and summarized the scientific data on NTSCI patient care to help further the discussion on how to most effectively organize the rehabilitation care and services offered to these patients, while referencing the continuum of care currently provided to patients with TSCI.
 

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