Glen Cove Hospital Opening Brain Injury Unit

Glen Cove Hospital is opening a 10,000-square-foot inpatient rehabilitation center for patients with traumatic brain injuries, the hospital announced Thursday.

The $4 million Brain Injury Unit boasts a physical therapy gym, occupational therapy treatment area and a studio apartment where patients can practice activities of daily living.

The unit holds 10 beds, and includes speech therapy treatment rooms, a recreational therapy activity room and a restorative dining room.

The unit will be staffed by a "multidisciplinary clinical team including a physiatrist with specialty training in brain injury, a neuropsychologist, psychiatrists, therapists, rehabilitation nurses and other professionals."

The unit is the only one of its kind among Nassau County hospitals. It addresses a general condition for which more than 12,000 people are hospitalized in New York State every year, and many more across the country.

"Each year, about 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 52,000 people in this country die every year from a TBI.  Brain injuries also contribute to a substantial number of cases of  permanent disability.  Acquired brain injuries, such as stroke or brain aneurysm, can also disrupt normal brain function, causing mild to severe symptoms," according to a statement from the hospital. "The goal of treatment is to help patients recover as optimally as possible and return people to the highest level of functioning after a brain injury as they may be coping with physical, emotional and cognitive changes. As part of North Shore-LIJ, the BIU will work closely with neurosurgeons and trauma surgeons at North Shore University Hospital, LIJ and other hospitals to provide seamless care and communication as patients transition from the acute hospital to rehabilitation to home."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Friday, Feb. 22. at the unit, located on the hospital's second floor. In attendance will be Susan Kwiatek, executive director, Glen Cove Hospital; Gene Tangney, regional executive director at North Shore-LIJ; Adam Stein, chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at North Shore-LIJ; and Raj Narayan, chair of neurosurgery at North Shore-LIJ.

Sign up for email alerts l Get Facebook updates l Add an announcement