Research news — especially in the field of traumatic brain injury — can be hard to find. And for the layperson especially, it's often hard to know where to look.
The TBI Model Systems of Care is a federally-funded network of centers that conduct research and provide state-of-the-art services. Today, there are 16 institutions in this network. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), which is part of the US Department of Education, awards competitive grants to these national leaders in medical research and patient care.
But who keeps track of all these projects and research services? In an effort to centralize research information, a new organization called the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) for TBI, spinal cord injury, and burn injury was created.
Here's what MSKTC does:
- Summarizes research
- Develops materials for consumers, healthcare professionals, researchers, policy makers, and government agencies to help them make the best decisions about treatment, practice, behavior, health insurance coverage, and other issues
- Provides information about TBI, spinal cord injury, and burn injury
- Reviews the latest research and makes recommendations about best practices and treatments.
The MSKTC website is one way to keep track of current research and upcoming new projects and services. It even has a FAQs section www.msktc.org/FAQ that explains more about the work of the TBI Model Systems — from how a center becomes part of the "Model System" to how you can find a doctor or facility in your area that specializes in TBI, spinal cord injury, burn injury rehabilitation, or medical care.
Learn more. www.msktc.org.
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