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Edward C. Jauch, MD, MS, FACEP, FAHA

Professor and Chair,
Department of Emergency Medicine, and Professor, Department of Neurosciences
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, SC

Dr. Jauch is Professor and Director, Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Associate Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine, Professor in the Department of Neurosciences, faculty on the MUSC Comprehensive Stroke Program and Director of Acute Stroke Trials at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and adjunct Professor of Bioengineering, Clemson University.

Prior to medicine, Dr. Jauch completed graduate training in bioengineering at Cornell University and was a faculty member in the Orthopedic Surgery Departments at the University of Kansas and the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Jauch completed medical school and emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati, after which he joined the faculty in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke team at the University of Cincinnati in 1997. Dr. Jauch was
recruited to MUSC in 2008 to help develop the Residency Program in Emergency Medicine, assist in the creation of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at MUSC, help establish MUSC's REACH Telemedicine Program (a state-wide acute stroke telemedicine network to improve rapid diagnosis and treatment), and co-direct the development of a state-wide stroke system of care through the South Carolina Department of Health.

Dr. Jauch is well known in the field of acute stroke research, leading or participating in numerous Phase II and III clinical stroke trials over the past 16 years. These studies have led to new approaches to managing patients with acute ischemic stroke and other forms of neurologic emergencies. He has over 140 publications, mostly in the area of neurologic emergencies. More recently, Dr. Jauch was awarded a pilot grant from MUSC's NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award to explore barriers, facilitators, and recommended intervention strategies to improve access to stroke care in a southern rural community, using a community-based participatory research approach. Dr. Jauch also serves as the PI for the SC-CoAST network hub of the new NIH StrokeNet network. Dr. Jauch has served on numerous NIH committees related to developing research in emergency medicine and developing research networks for neurologic emergencies.

Dr. Jauch is active in numerous national organizations. Dr. Jauch serves as the immediate past Chair of Stroke Council for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) and primary author for the new Acute Ischemic Stroke guidelines. He is a coauthor on the flagship AHA/ASA guidelines for telemedicine use in stroke, primary prevention of stroke, prehospital care of stroke, and stroke systems of care. Dr. Jauch has guided the creation of numerous educational programs for the AHA/ASA and works nationally and regionally in advocating for improved stroke care and access to stroke care for all Americans. Dr. Jauch has served in several leadership roles for the American College of Emergency Physicians, the South Carolina College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Medicine Foundation. Dr. Jauch also serves on several national committees related to stroke care, including the Joint Commission Technical Advisory Committees on Comprehensive Stroke Centers and Primary Stroke Centers. Collectively these efforts have strived to improve access to care, increasing the quality of acute stroke care, and educating both the general public and healthcare professionals on developing delivery systems for optimal stroke management.

Full Bio
patient at a Stroke Rehabilitation Facility
iStock.com/dusanpetkovic

Finding a Stroke Rehabilitation Facility

Ask the Expert

Q:

My 52-year-old sister recently had a stroke. I'm helping her family find a good rehabilitation center for her. How can we evaluate a program to best meet her recovery needs?

A:

The effects of a stroke will vary depending on the part of the brain and the amount of brain tissue involved, but the most common long-term effects include altered speech and communication skills, loss of balance, weakness of the extremities or paralysis, difficulty swallowing, vision and memory loss and depression.

Victims of stroke can require extensive rehabilitation. Such rehabilitation will begin during their hospital stay. The duration of rehabilitation and its degree of success will depend on many factors including the seriousness of the stroke, the patient's age and previous health, and the patient and family’s motivation and willingness to work for a positive outcome.

Depending on a patient's needs, rehabilitation can take place in an acute care and rehabilitation hospital, in a long-term care facility, at home (with assistance provided through a home health agency) and/or at an outpatient facility. Talk to your doctor about the best approach for your situation, and look for a care facility that is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

The most effective rehabilitation programs involve a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, along with optimal medical care, in a calming environment, all coordinated by a physician with expertise in neurorehabilitation. The ultimate goal is for individuals who have suffered a stroke to achieve the greatest degree of independence in the least restrictive environment possible. Time will be spent developing self-care skills such as feeding, grooming, bathing and dressing; mobility skills including walking or self-propelling a wheelchair; speech and language skills; memory or problem-solving skills; and skills necessary for social interaction.

Family members play a critical role in recovery. They can encourage attendance in outpatient therapy and give health care providers valuable feedback about progress. They also serve as a barometer of the patient's mood, assessing whether the patient is becoming withdrawn or depressed. Ongoing encouragement from both family and health care providers can play a key role in any successful rehabilitation process.

Both patients and caregivers can also benefit from participating in a stroke support group, which allows members to share feelings, ideas and resources with others whose lives have been affected by stroke. The American Stroke Association Web site (www.strokeassociation.org) can help you find a support group.

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