TNG Task Forces

Clinical Manager in Rehabilitation Technology Task Force

Sherri Wallis, Co-Chair

Lauren Sheehan, Co-Chair

The purpose of the Clinical Managers Task Force is to bring together clinicians working within industry roles in the research and development of technology for support and creation of best practice as it relates to use of technology in rehabilitation medicine.

The Clinical Managers Task Force had two symposia accepted for the ACRM 2020 VIRTUAL Annual Conference:  Advanced Technologies Roundtable Symposium: What Rehabilitation Professionals Want from the Industry, Current Issues and Strategies for Successful Integration as well as a symposium focused on Supporting Clinicians in the Integration of Advanced Technology.  We plan to host a webinar for the TNG “Tech Talks” following the conference as well.  We have partnered with IISART (The International Industry Society for Advanced Technology) to invite them to present on accessing information about advanced technology for the webinar series too!  Stay tuned!

We are looking for clinicians that use advanced technology regularly in their practice to participate in our task force, offering their perspective about their successes and challenges of the integration of advanced technology in the clinical setting. Contact Lauren Sheehan to be added to our next meeting invite.

Task Force Chairs:

• Lauren Sheehan, OTD, OTR/L, Field Clinical Manager, Neurolutions
• Sherri Wallis, PT, DPT, Clinical Research Specialist, Bionik, and Clinical Specialist, Rex Bionics

Communications Task Force

Kristen Weidner, Co-Chair

Cullyn Foxlee, Co-Chair

Sutanuka Bhattacharjya, Co-Chair

The communications task force is focused on sharing opportunities and information with TNG members and the ACRM as whole. We also create this biannual newsletter. Please reach out if you would like to share your research, a new technology, ask a question, or share resource recommendations with your fellow TNG members.

The communications task force is excited to bring you Tech Talks, webinars that cover various technology topics. Please be on the look out for future updates on Tech Talks after the annual ACRM conference.

Check out the TNG social media during the conference for real-time updates at #ACRM2020! Connect with us on:

• Twitter: @ACRMTechGroup
• Facebook: @ACRMTechGroup
• LinkedIn: ACRM Technology Networking Group

Task Force Chairs:

• Kristen Weidner, MS, CCC-SLP, PhD Student, College of Health Sciences University of Kentucky
• Sutanuka Bhattacharjya, PhD, MS, OTR/L, Assistant Professor, Georgia State University
• Cullyn Foxlee, MS, OTR/L, Founder, The Tech OT

Industry Outreach Task Force

John Morris, Chair

The Industry Outreach Task Force is dedicated to serving as a two-way channel to make connections and exchange ideas among researchers, engineers, clinicians, and vendors in the rehabilitation technology industry. The task force is currently focusing on initiatives to facilitate networking/collaboration among vendors and other ACRM members including a possible speed networking event and opportunities to connect vendors with target users to identify consumer needs and provide feedback on solutions at all stages of development.

Task Force Chair:

• John Morris, PhD, FACRM, Senior Clinical Research Scientist, Shepherd Center

LaunchPad Task Force

Megan Mitchell, Chair

The focus of the LaunchPad Task Force is to connect researchers, clinicians and technology start-up companies, support the growth of ACRM membership in the technology rehab space and expose the current membership to reviewed cutting edge rehab technologies by developing and executing a rehab technology competition at the annual conference.

The LaunchPad Task Force’s primary responsibility is the planning and execution of the LaunchPad competition. This includes recruiting applications from start-up companies and research labs, identifying reviewers and judges for the competition and communicating with the TNG Executive Committee, ACRM staff members, applicants, reviewers and judges.

The TF also works in conjunction with the other TNG TFs (particularly the Industry Outreach and Clinical Managers TFs) to support initiatives related to integrating our industry members into ACRM activities and building collaborations between our industry members and clinical/research/end user members.

Members can join the LaunchPad TF and assist in identifying start-up companies and research labs with innovative technology or ideas to submit applications for the annual competition. Assistance in identifying potential reviewers or judges is also welcome. Members can also contact Megan Mitchell if they are interested in joining a database to serve as a reviewer or judge as necessary.

LaunchPad 2020 will be held during ACRM’s annual conference on Wednesday, October 21 from 2:15 pm to 3:30 pm EST. Learn more >>

Task Force Chair:

• Megan Mitchell, PhD, Human Factors Researcher, Cerner Corporation

Pandemic Task Force

John Morris, Co-Chair

Tracey Wallace, Co-Chair

The mission of the TNG Pandemic Task Force is to provide ACRM members and rehabilitation medicine stakeholders, accurate and up-to-date information about the use of technology in the provision of rehabilitation services and research during the 2020 global pandemic. This group formed during the early weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States to quickly communicate essential information needed by PM&R healthcare providers and researchers. With the support of ACRM staff and leadership, as well as collaboration with other ACRM community groups and stakeholders, the Pandemic Task Force produced over 20 webinars as part of the ACRM Pandemic Webinar Series in the first 3 months of its inception.

Topics have ranged from telehealth billing and remote patient monitoring, to conducting rehabilitation research and providing care in countries and regions across the world during the pandemic. Webinars continue to be produced as part of the series, and recordings of the webinars can be viewed for free by going to the ACRM Library and clicking on Pandemic Webinar Series. If you are interested in presenting in the Pandemic Webinar Series or have ideas for topics, please reach out to Tracey Wallace or John Morris.

Task Force Chairs:

• Tracey Wallace, MS, CCC-SLP, Shepherd Center
• John Morris, PhD, FACRM, Senior Clinical Research Scientist, Shepherd Center

Programming Task Force

John Morris, Co-Chair

Mohanraj Thirumalai, Co-Chair

The Technology NG Programming Task Force is dedicated to recruiting, reviewing and recommending speakers and rehabilitation technology topics for the ACRM Annual Conference and ACRM Training Institute. We are excited about the robust Technology content for the 2020 Annual Conference, which includes 13 symposia, 2 special symposia and 1 plenary session! Program highlights include:

PLENARY SPEAKER

• Paolo Bonato, PhD – Can Data Collected Using Wearable and mHealth Technologies Result in Improvements in Rehabilitation Outcomes?

SPECIAL SYMPOSIA

• Mike Jones, PhD, FACRM – mRehab: New Models of Care Using Information and Communication Technology to Support Rehabilitation in the Home & Community
• Dawn Ehde, PhD and Anna Kratz, PhD – Expanding Access to Rehabilitation via Telehealth

Check out the full Conference Program >>

Please contact the Technology NG Programming Task Force chairs Mohan Thirumalai and John Morris to recommend speakers and topics for future ACRM conferences.

Task Force Chairs:

• Mohanraj Thirumalai, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• John Morris, PhD, FACRM, Senior Clinical Research Scientist, Shepherd Center