An occupational therapist demonstrating the use of an electronic notebook to help a patient with a brain injury develop and refine writing skills Notebook exercises help people with brain injuries

Occupational therapist Moriah E. Kane, O.T., ATP, uses an electronic notebook to help a patient with a brain injury develop and refine writing skills to encourage interaction with the environment. People receiving inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services at Mayo Clinic have access to a variety of advanced assistive technology options.

Overview

The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model System overseen by Allen W. Brown, M.D., at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has been continuously funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) since 1998. It is one of 16 centers in the United States supported by NIDILRR to:

  • Enroll individuals with moderate to severe TBI into the TBI Model Systems National Database and follow them for up to 30 years post-injury.
  • Conduct local studies on TBI.
  • Collaborate with other funded TBI Model System centers on module research projects.

Mayo Clinic's TBI Model System is directly aligned with the NIDILRR mission of improving the lives of individuals who experience TBI, their families and communities. The system's goal is to study the course of long-term recovery after TBI, as well as to develop, provide and evaluate innovative services that address identified needs for care coordination and community reintegration.

The system focuses on clinical research concerning epidemiology, practice management models, treatment outcomes, community-based randomized clinical trials of behavioral interventions and remotely provided rehabilitation. Its research has produced dozens of publications and hundreds of presentations, bringing to prominence the Mayo Clinic TBI Model System's status as an internationally recognized brain rehabilitation program.

Funding

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research within Administration for Community Living of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services currently funds the TBI Model Systems program.

The current funding cycle (2022 to 2027) and the past four cycles (1998 to 2002, 2002 to 2007, 2007 to 2012, and 2012 to 2017) have progressively enhanced the reputation of Mayo Clinic's TBI Model System center.

Projects

Dr. Brown has led numerous studies focused on improving brain rehabilitation care and quality of life for patients and families affected by traumatic brain injury. Learn more about TBI Model System research and publications.