As the state’s premier provider of a comprehensive spinal cord injury rehabilitation program, we treat patients—from teenager to adult—who have sustained injuries through trauma or illness.
Methodist Rehabilitation, founded in 1975, has helped thousands of spinal cord injury patients reach the highest possible level of independence. We see more spinal cord injury patients than any inpatient rehab facility in Mississippi. As a result, we provide the proven expertise that no other Mississippi hospital can claim.
Our affiliation with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) enhances the quality and depth of care we provide. This relationship gives our patients access to UMMC specialists who regularly consult with our staff.
Services are available through inpatient hospital stays, and our physicians also provide follow-up treatment for rehabilitation-related needs through our outpatient clinic located on the hospital’s second floor and through our Physical Medicine clinic at our Flowood Campus. Outpatient Therapy is also available at our Outpatient Therapy Clinics in Clinton, Gluckstadt, Flowood, and Ridgeland.
Your Care Team
Dr. Jennifer M. Villacorta, who is the Medical Director at Methodist Rehabilitation, leads our spinal cord injury team. She is also a member of the UMMC Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and an assistant professor of Neurosurgery. Villacorta is board-certified in both Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and Spinal Cord Injury Medicine. Read Dr. Villacorta’s Bio
The spinal cord injury team of caregivers also includes nurse practitioners, certified rehabilitation nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, case managers, social workers, neuropsychologists, biomedical engineers, orthotists, and assistive technology and robotic equipment specialists.
Our Program
A typical treatment schedule includes occupational, physical, speech, and respiratory therapy. When not in therapy, patients are under the care of our nursing team, many of whom are Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurses. They help promote independence by reinforcing skills learned in therapy and by providing education on a variety of rehab topics.
Family members are always welcome to be part of the process and are encouraged to take advantage of group support and educational opportunities.
Issues typically addressed during the recovery process include:
- Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Needs
- Activities of Daily Living
- Mobility
- Respiratory Function
- Spasticity Management
- Skin Health
- Assistive Technology Needs
- Adjustment Issues
- Community Reintegration
What Sets Us Apart
Rehabilitation is an important step toward independence, and the decision is in your hands. Here are some factors to help you evaluate our capabilities when choosing rehabilitation care.
Latest Technology
We equip our therapy gym and patient rooms with the latest rehabilitation equipment and technology designed to enhance recovery.
Neuro Clinical Specialists
We employ the largest number of Neuro Clinical Specialists and Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurses in Mississippi.
Quest Program
Our Quest community reintegration program is Mississippi’s most comprehensive outpatient program for people with brain, spinal, and other neurological injuries who wish to make a successful return to work, school, or community life.
Wheelchair Guidance
We offer evaluations and guidance for the selection of wheelchairs, environmental control units, adaptive computer equipment, and other assistive technology via the expertise of specially certified therapists
Motion Analysis Lab
We evaluate the abilities of patients with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and stroke in our Motion Analysis Laboratory, one of only a few such labs in the nation.
Gait Training
We provide treadmill gait training and robot-assisted walking therapy, which can help patients make significant gains in their walking ability.
Clinical Trials
We give patients the opportunity to benefit from clinical trials and other research through our Center for Neuroscience and Neurological Recovery (CNNR). The CNNR is led by a physician-scientist who works with a team of investigators, including fellow physicians and experts in engineering, therapy, neuropsychology, and orthotics and prosthetics.
Innovations
We offer innovative rehab technologies, including electrical stimulation devices that address foot drop, hand and leg weakness, and swallowing disorders.
Lifelong Care
We provide lifelong care through an extensive network of outpatient clinics and community services, including Methodist Physical Medicine, Methodist Outpatient Therapy, Methodist Pain Management, and Methodist Orthotics & Prosthetics.
Spasticity Management
We have built a nationally recognized spasticity management program to help patients overcome this frequent side effect of brain and spinal cord injury.
Not-for-Profit
As a not-for-profit hospital, we invest in our mission to provide the highest quality care, education, and research to our patients.
