Rehabilitation Medicine Consultations

Consultation Process

RIW physicians begin by ensuring that each individual has received a thorough diagnostic workup and that no underlying or undiagnosed medical conditions have been missed.

This process includes a detailed review of medical records, a comprehensive patient history, and a full physical examination. If necessary, additional diagnostic studies may be ordered to gain further insight. The primary goal is to identify physical, psychological, social, and systemic barriers that may be contributing to delayed recovery.

Based on these findings, RIW physicians develop a tailored treatment plan, recommending the appropriate type and intensity of care needed. Whenever possible, they suggest treatment options that can be delivered in the patient’s home community, promoting accessible and effective recovery.

Barriers to treatment

Common limiting factors to treatment include:

• A prolonged or ineffective search for the true source of pain, which can delay appropriate intervention.
• Treatment plans that are either inadequately targeted or overly passive, failing to fully engage the patient in recovery.
• Excessive reliance on medications or interventional procedures without addressing root causes.
• Unrecognized psychological or emotional challenges that may interfere with healing.
• Negative environmental or social factors that discourage motivation and resilience.