Private Vincent Mannion was only 3 weeks into his tour in Iraq when he sustained a severe brain injury as a result of a house explosion. He was also the first soldier to participate in the unique program partnership between our nation's military hospitals and Spaulding Rehab Hospital.

Walter Reed Medical Center, along with Bethesda Naval Hospital, have partnered with Spaulding to give injured soldiers access to specialized rehabilitation programs such as Traumatic Brain Injury. Prior to this partnership, soldiers would receive their rehab care in the VA system, which does not offer the same specialized care for TBI.

Vincent's family petitioned the government for him to receive his rehabilitation care at Spaulding. They knew Spaulding's reputation for brain injury rehab, and they also wanted him closer to their home in Hyannis. Through careful collaboration between his family, the Department of Defense (DoD) and care managers at Spaulding, Vincent was the first New England soldier to get approval for private hospital care for severe TBI.

As part of the approval process, Walter Reed staff performed a site visit and assessment of Spaulding's services. They met with clinical staff to review protocols and expectations. Care expectations had been put into place prior to Vincent's transfer, which included regular visits from Bethesda case manager Captain Virginia Griffin to meet with the team and with Vincent's family. Vincent was admitted to Spaulding in May 2007.

Dr. Heechin Chae, TBI Medical Director, was Vincent's physician and guided the use of neurostimulants to optimize his level of alertness and participation in therapy. Frequent, multidisciplinary therapy sessions with PT, OT and Speech Therapy helped Vincent regain his strength and mobility, and to learn to communicate again. Regular team and family meetings, as well as family involvement, were critical in this partnership to ensure consistent expectations.

When Capt. Griffin first observed Vincent's therapy sessions, she immediately noticed that his therapists appeared too gentle with him, and recommended that his clinicians use a firmer approach and 'soldier-speak', which Vincent responded better to.

She went on to inservice the entire TBI staff about working with brain-injured soldiers, how to best communicate, manage behaviors, deal with flashbacks and recognize symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She emphasized that the soldiers respond well to a military presence so the therapists should incorporate that style into their treatment sessions. Vincent's family had learned that while he was at Bethesda and Walter Reed so his Dad became his unofficial 'drill sergeant' at Spaulding.

Vincent was discharged nearly 10 months later walking with an assitive device, independent with ADLs, oriented and talking. "After seeing his initial CT scans, the extent of his recovery is nothing short of remarkable", states Dr. Chae.

Five other soldiers have participated in the partnership, and all have had significant improvement in their functional outcomes. Some of these soldiers have been followed in Spaulding's outpatient settings for ongoing care, as TBI is a life-long disability. Spaulding is currently aligning with local military groups and programs to better assist with the transition back into the community.

In addition to the clinical partnership, Spaulding and Harvard Medical School have been awarded a 5-year, $3 million dollar grant as part of a nationwide Clinical Consortium funded by the Department of Defense. The consortium was formed to conduct a long-term study on the effects of TBI and PTSD. Dr. Ross Zafonte is the principal investigator at Spaulding, the only rehabilitation hospital in the country with this honor and one of only ten sites nationwide that has been awarded. Dr. Zafonte states, "this represents the collaboration happening between our research community and the DoD to advance the care and techniques available to our returning heroes".

Spaulding continues to nurture the relationship with Walter Reed in other ways as well. Last year, they sent holiday blankets to the hospitalized soldiers, and frequently have employee donation drives to benefit Wounded Warriors. For the second year in a row, Spaulding and the New England Patriots have invited soldiers to a game to be recognized on field for their service and dedication.

Dianne Lamb, Spaulding Director of Admissions, says "It's the least we can do for these men and women who give so much to keep us safe. We forget about the huge risks they take until we see them as patients. We owe them so much, especially this time of year."