Did you know that Magee created a committee to enhance the care of patients with brain tumors/cancer and their families? Ranit Lieberman, a senior physical therapist who works primarily on the Neuro-Rehabilitation Center, helped initiate the group which involves an interdisciplinary team approach. Brain tumors can be life-alternating and may have physical, cognitive, and psychological impacts on a person’s life. Today, we talk with Ranit about how we serve this very special group of Magee patients.
Melissa Katz (MK): What inspired you to initiate a committee specific for patients with brain tumors/cancer?
Ranit Lieberman (RL): Our patients with brain tumors have unique needs. I saw an opportunity to make sure that we were providing the best rehabilitation care for our patients while being mindful of the holistic needs of a patient and their family as they go through treatment for a brain tumor.
MK: Could you tell us a little bit about the committee?
RL: The committee was started in 2015 to first educate ourselves on the rehabilitation of patients with brain tumors and subsequently to present inservices to our colleagues, create brain tumor resource packets to provide to our patients, create checklists and guidelines for the care of our patients with brain tumors, and many other initiatives that focus on building the best experience for these patients. The committee, which meets once a month, is interdisciplinary, with representatives from physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nursing, physicians’ services, neuropsychology, creative arts therapy, recreational therapy, and case management. Members have presented our work at both local and national conferences (like the Brain Injury Summit, pictured above.)
MK: If a Magee employee has questions or wants guidance when working with someone with a brain tumor/cancer, whom should they reach out to?
RL: Me! The Cancer Care Committee is committed to sharing what we have learned with our colleagues throughout Magee’s service line, including inpatient and outpatient services. Please reach out to me and I will connect you with a colleague on our committee who is best suited to guide you.
MK: What do you expect for the future of the group?
RL: Our next project is to expand beyond our current focus on brain tumors with the hope of enhancing Magee’s services for patients with other types of cancers. We are looking for enthusiastic colleagues who are interested in joining our committee! Contact me if you would like to join us in our continued efforts to make Magee a premier rehabilitation program for patients with cancer.
To learn more about brain tumors, click here.
Photo: Members of the Cancer Care Committee presenting at the Brain Injury Summit 2018 in Vail, CO. L to R: Ranit Lieberman, Katherine Vojtko, Brian Comly
