When choosing a rehabilitation program for someone with a spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, it's important to select a system of care that provides specialized treatment, care, services, and equipment. Because of the complexity of these injuries, most experts agree that patients should be treated in a specialty hospital.

Centers that specialize in these injuries have many benefits: They offer staff and physicians with focused expertise and experience who work together as a team, large numbers of patients with similar injuries for peer support, and specialized patient and family education and support programs. They also are equipped to offer additional valuable services not found in general rehabilitation centers. Specialty centers, especially those with a long history, understand the long-term issues associated with aging with a disability and can provide follow-up services and ongoing support.

The benefits of a specialty rehabilitation program are evident in terms of improved functional independence, reduced medical complications, preparation for the future, productivity, and lower long-term costs.