Director of WakeMed Neuropsychology Laurie Leach, PhD, ABN, explains what’s next for the program in 2023.

WakeMed is home to one of Wake County’s most accomplished brain and spine health centers as well as comprehensive rehabilitation programs — housed within the rehab division is WakeMed’s neuropsychology program.

What is Neuropsychology?

But, what exactly is neuropsychology? Neuropsychology is the study of brain and behavior relationships. Using a series of tests, neuropsychologists look at different areas of the brain that handle problem solving, language skills, visual skills, memory and more — anything the brain does.

Results from these tests and clinical evaluations of emotions and behavior assist with accurate diagnosis and lead to specific treatment recommendations for the patient and their family.

Who Benefits from Neuropsychology?

For more than 30 years, WakeMed’s neuropsychology program has worked with pediatric, adult and geriatric patients and their families affected by brain and central nervous system disorders, injuries and diseases. The neuropsychology team at WakeMed has a wealth of expertise applying their understanding of brain-behavior relationships and development to help patients think, function and learn.

“For patients with brain injury, we are a unique program,” says Laurie Leach, PhD, ABN, director of neuropsychology at WakeMed. “We begin working with patients early in their journey, often in the ICU, and follow them throughout their recovery to better understand how their thinking, behavior or emotions may have changed due to the brain injury. This early intervention allows us to provide comprehensive brain injury education to patients and their families to help set up positive and realistic recovery expectations.”

The neuropsychology program also plays an active role within WakeMed’s Rehabilitation Hospital, supporting the hospital’s CARF-accredited specialty programs and serving on the program committees for stroke, spinal cord injury and brain injury. For patients across the continuum of care, especially those who have sustained a stroke or brain injury, the neuropsychologists work in tandem with the case managers, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists to optimize recovery. The neuropsychology department also has a rehab psychologist who works with patients who may experience emotional struggles with recovery after their injury.

Outpatient neuropsychological evaluations are also available for patients seeking additional assessment to reassess cognition to return to work and school after a hospitalization; for the geriatric community
to further understand if memory loss is due to normal aging versus mild cognitive impairment or dementia; and for pediatric and adult patients with a variety of medical diagnoses that may lead to changes or concerns about thinking skills.

“We believe in treating the ‘whole patient’ by addressing not only the cognitive symptoms of the person’s illness, but also their emotional, educational and social needs,” continues Dr. Leach.

How Does WakeMed Neuropsychology Rank Today?

Today, WakeMed’s neuropsychology program is one of the largest and most comprehensive programs in the Triangle. While the program originally began as a three-person team providing services primarily
within the Rehab Hospital, it has grown to nine team members with support staff and services available throughout the continuum of care for both inpatients and outpatients.

As the program continues to move forward, WakeMed is exploring broader and more comprehensive services for persons with epilepsy and brain tumors, with neuropsychological assessment playing a critical role for both pre-and post-surgical evaluations.

 

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WakeMed Rehab — Brain Injury Rehabilitation System (BIRS)

WakeMed’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation System (BIRS) is the area’s largest and most comprehensive brain injury program, serving over 200 brain injury survivors a year. Our inpatient hospital and outpatient brain injury programs are CARF accredited for adults and children & adolescents.

It is an integrated continuum of care capable of providing rehabilitative services to brain injury survivors of all levels of acuity and severity. Rehabilitative services are often initiated within 24 hours of injury. Other regional trauma centers often refer patients for rehabilitative services as soon as they are medically stabilized.

The goal of early intervention is to prevent secondary disability and shorten acute hospital stays by facilitating transition to a full rehabilitation setting sooner. When it comes to brain injury, early rehabilitation intervention is associated with better outcomes.

Back & Spine Center

The WakeMed Back & Spine Center offers comprehensive and interdisciplinary care to patients suffering from chronic and acute back, neck and spine conditions. To deliver the highest level of care available, we partner with a variety of specialists to assess, manage and provide both surgical and non-surgical treatment options, all designed to get you back on the road to recovery and pain-free living.

This article is adapted from our most recent reConnections Magazine. Want to read more about our innovative programs? See prior issues in our reConnections Magazine archives.