by Henry Hoffman
Henry Hoffman, licensed Occupational Therapist and Co-founder of Saebo Inc., always believed there was no such thing as "plateauing" in stroke and traumatic brain injury recovery. When survivors stop seeing progress in their recovery journey, they're often told that they've "plateaued" and have no choice but to accept this reality. If you ask Hoffman, he'll tell you this – "It's not the patient that plateaus, it's their treatment options that do." It's why he co-founded his company Saebo (a medical device company focused on stroke and TBI rehab) on the mantra "No Plateau in Sight." So, how exactly can survivors keep pushing to overcome the fate of plateau? Hoffman is on a mission to speak to anyone and everyone out there defying the norm in neuro-rehab. This is the No Plateau Podcast – the podcast for stroke and brain injury survivors, their caregivers, and the therapists helping them to break boundaries in their recovery journey.
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Publishing Since
7/11/2022
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February 25, 2025
In this episode of the No Plateau Podcast, host Henry Hoffman is joined by Amanda Saylor, an occupational therapist specializing in neurological rehabilitation, to discuss Vivistim Therapy, a groundbreaking treatment for chronic stroke survivors with upper limb deficits. Vivistim combines vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with intensive therapy to enhance neuroplasticity and improve arm and hand function. Amanda shares her experience implementing Vivistim in her clinic, the science behind the treatment, and how it can be integrated into stroke rehabilitation. "Vivistim is basically vagus nerve stimulation paired with therapy. It has to be—it cannot be one without the other."– Amanda Saylor This episode highlights the importance of combining innovative technology like Vivistim with evidence-based practices to push the boundaries of stroke recovery. For therapists and patients alike, Vivistim offers a new avenue for hope and progress in the journey toward recovery. "The success of Vivistim is only as good as the therapist that's going to be doing it. It’s the tool, but it’s the person behind the tool that makes the difference." – Henry Hoffman As Amanda and Henry discuss, the future of stroke rehabilitation lies in longer, more intensive therapy sessions and the integration of neurotechnology to enhance neuroplasticity. "Patients need more time in therapy. We know they need more repetitions, and they can't always get those on their own." – Amanda Saylor In This Episode Introducing Vivistim Therapy (00:39) Meet Amanda Saylor: Professional Background (01:17) Understanding Neuroplasticity and Stroke Rehabilitation (02:58) The Role of Task-Specific Training in Recovery (04:21) Challenges and Innovations in Stroke Therapy (05:59) Diving into Vivistim Therapy (06:54) Clinical Trials and Outcomes of Vivistim (18:40) Insurance and Reimbursement for Vivistim (26:19) Navigating FDA Approval and Reimbursement (30:18) Identifying Ideal Candidates for Vivistim (30:49) Accessing Vivistim Treatment (33:32) Training and Implementation for Therapists (35:10) Case Studies: Success Stories and Strategies (37:38) Future Directions and Recommendations (54:06) Conclusion and Contact Information (57:56) Our Guest Amanda Saylor, MOT, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist with over eight years of experience specializing in neurological and orthopedic rehabilitation. She works at AdventHealth in Orlando, Florida, and is a consultant for MicroTransponder, the company behind Vivistim. Amanda is passionate about stroke rehabilitation and shares treatment ideas and tips on her Instagram page, @neuro_ots, with her colleague Becca Carr. Resources & Links Advent Health Website Vivistim Website Amanda Saylor on LinkedIn Amanda Saylor’s Instagram Henry Hoffman on LinkedIn Saebo On YouTube On Instagram On LinkedIn Saebo’s Stroke Caregiver Support Group Saebo’s Stroke Survivor Support Group Stroke Guidelines 2023
May 2, 2024
Are you or someone you know working towards recovery and looking for effective ways to break through barriers? In the world of rehabilitation, evidence-based practices are making a significant impact, especially within the field of occupational therapy. "We really have to take the time as educators to be willing to modify our courses, stay up to date on evidence, and make sure that we're using the best resources that are the most up to date." (17:45) - Jessica In today’s episode of the No Plateau Podcast, we delve into the integration of evidence-based practice in occupational therapy education and clinical settings from our own perspectives. We tackle the challenges of translating research into practice, including the delay between discovery and implementation and the hurdles we clinicians encounter in keeping abreast of new information. We cover the initiatives we're taking at Concordia University to improve evidence translation, the significance of clinical practice guidelines, and the role we play as fieldwork educators. We also engage in the debate over whether to focus on ADLs or neuroplasticity post-stroke and discuss the use of assessments like the Fugl-Meyer. We recommend the ViaTherapy app as a tool for evidence-based stroke rehabilitation, sharing our insights and experiences with it. "You can't get your arm and hand back if it's seven months, nine months, two years later; you missed a window. So focus on what matters the most, which is neuroplasticity." (24:25) - Henry In This Episode The need for evidence-based learning (00:00:32) Challenges in implementing evidence-based practice (00:05:27) Strategies for speeding up evidence translation in education (00:11:11) Dealing with outdated practices (00:22:20) Adaptive techniques and neuroplasticity (00:24:21) Barriers in implementing evidence-based strategies (00:31:22) Accessing clinical practice guidelines (00:37:58) Impairment-based outcome measures (00:45:12) ViaTherapy App and free resources (00:49:32) Our Guest Jessica Schmidt, OTR/L is an assistant professor of occupational therapy at Concordia University of Wisconsin. She earned her master's from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and her post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy from Rocky Mountain University School of Health Professions. She is a member of ACRM, AOTA, and WOTA. In clinical practice, Jessica specialized in treating adult neurological patients in acute care and inpatient rehabilitation settings. She is passionate about evidence-based practice, helping translate research into the clinic, and preventing healthcare worker burnout. Resources & Links Henry Hoffman on LinkedIn Jessica Schmidt on LinkedIn Saebo On YouTube On Instagram On LinkedIn Saebo’s Stroke Caregiver Support Group Saebo’s Stroke Survivor Support Group
October 9, 2023
What steps are necessary to establish a program for managing shoulder subluxations in a healthcare facility? In today’s episode, we dive into the topic of creating a stroke shoulder subluxation program in acute and subacute settings. This is a topic of interest for many therapists, yet it's often overlooked in most facilities. To shed more light on this topic, we are joined by Jenna Barber, who has successfully created a subluxation program at her facility. “Most facilities are not preemptively addressing this issue. Why pass the buck to outpatient when you have the opportunity to attack it now?" During our discussion with Jenna, we debunk the effectiveness of slings and taping in reducing or preventing subluxation. Instead, we emphasize that strengthening exercises, particularly for patients with volitional movement, are the most effective approach. We also highlight the importance of proper electrode placement during electrical stimulation (e-stim) therapy, focusing on the posterior deltoid rather than the supra. We stress the importance of evidence-based practice and the need for therapists to be trained and competent in using e-stim therapy. "I don't know if I would change the program to maybe like shoulder e-stim program. I'm still debating on this one, but I really stressed in the beginning that it's not just shoulder subluxation, it's for those who don't have one yet to prevent one from happening." Jenna explains the implementation process of the subluxation program for stroke survivors at Froedtert. Patients are evaluated on day one or two after a stroke to determine if they would benefit from the program. Regardless of whether the patient currently has shoulder subluxation or not, they start them on the program to prevent it from happening. In This Episode Introduction to Jenna and her subluxation program (02:08) Subluxation and its effects (07:00) Strengthening and electrical stimulation for subluxation mitigation (11:25) Questioning the use of supra for shoulder subluxation treatment (12:19) Jenna’s motivation to start the program (14:58) The developmental process and challenges of starting a therapy program (17:00) The synergy between nursing and therapist training in healthcare (20:45) Contraindications for the subluxation program (24:29) Managing the subluxation program at a large neuro hospital (30:20) The waitlist issue (30:59) Transition to subacute facilities (33:36) Communication with subacute therapists (36:34) How billing for unattended electrical stimulation contributes to therapist productivity (44:41) Plans to expand the shoulder subluxation program (47:27) The potential benefits of using tools like mirror boxes and mental practice (50:40) Our Guest Jenna Barber, MOT OTR/L, is an accomplished occupational therapist with a Bachelor's in Kinesiology from UW-Eau Claire and a Master's in Occupational Therapy from Concordia University Wisconsin. She excels at Froedtert & MCW, specializing in neuro and orthopedic conditions. Jenna is also an adjunct faculty member, recognized for exceptional patient care, and enjoys family time with her husband and two daughters. Resources & Links Jenna Barber on LinkedIn Stroke Guidelines 2023 Henry Hoffman on LinkedIn Saebo On YouTube On Instagram On LinkedIn Saebo’s Stroke Caregiver Support Group Saebo’s Stroke Survivor Support Group
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