Touro Rehabilitation Center Ranked No. 1 in Louisiana: Helping Patients Regain Independence and Reclaim Their Lives
- Category: Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitation, Physical Rehabilitation, Patient Story
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For patients recovering from a stroke, spinal cord injury or another life-changing medical event, rehabilitation is about more than rebuilding strength. It is about regaining independence and returning to the people, places, and activities they love.
At Touro Rehabilitation Center in New Orleans, that commitment to helping patients recover and regain their independence has earned statewide recognition. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Touro the No. 1 rehabilitation hospital in Louisiana after evaluating 1,131 rehabilitation hospitals nationwide.
Touro Rehabilitation Center provides a comprehensive range of rehabilitation services, including inpatient and outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and more, helping patients receive the appropriate level of care throughout their recovery.
Comprehensive rehabilitation care helps patients regain independence
For patients Billy Maisano and Roy Cyprian Jr., Touro’s recognition carries special meaning. Both men arrived at Touro Rehabilitation Center after serious medical events dramatically changed their lives. Previously active and independent, they suddenly faced uncertainty about their mobility and whether they would be able to return to the activities they once enjoyed.
Both credit their physical therapists and the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team at Touro with helping them regain their strength, mobility, and independence.
Touro Rehabilitation Center has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for more than 30 years. The center currently holds accreditation in the following programs:
Inpatient rehabilitation provides intensive, coordinated therapy in a hospital setting, where patients have access to physicians, rehabilitation nurses, and other medical specialists who help manage their medical needs throughout recovery. Patients who qualify for inpatient rehabilitation must be able to participate in three hours of therapy a day at least five days a week.
Outpatient rehabilitation helps patients continue building strength, improving mobility, and developing the skills needed for everyday activities after returning home. Services include physical, occupational, and speech therapy tailored to each patient's recovery goals.
For Billy and Roy, access to specialized rehabilitation services and a dedicated care team played an important role in their recovery journeys.
From losing sensation to walking again: Billy's recovery journey
At 56, Billy had one goal following surgery: to walk again.
“I wanted to walk out of here,” he said.
Before his medical ordeal, Billy was an active financial executive who exercised several times a week, walked daily, and enjoyed hiking. But his life changed when he experienced tingling followed by a loss of sensation in his right arm.
An MRI revealed severe compression of the spinal cord in his neck, requiring surgery to relieve the pressure. When Billy awoke from surgery, he could no longer feel anything from his chest down.
Within about 12 hours, he could move his feet, but he still could not feel the floor beneath them or control where his feet were going. After several days in intensive care, he transferred to Touro’s inpatient rehabilitation program.
Determined to regain his mobility, Billy began working with inpatient physical therapist Pooja Shah, PT, DPT. He shared an important personal goal with her: He wanted to be able to stand at his son's upcoming graduation.
Pooja became a key part of his rehabilitation journey, helping him work toward regaining movement, coordination, and independence.
“Pooja is the most amazing person I’ve ever met in my life,” Billy said. “How she communicates and motivates, how she got me to do things – I’ll never understand it fully. For me, not being able to walk at all to being able to walk out of the hospital was incredible.”
What Billy remembers most was Pooja’s precision. Instead of simply telling him to move his leg, she might ask him to move it two inches and physically guide him so he could understand what his body needed to do. “Everything was so specific,” he said. “That really worked for me and motivated me even further to get it done correctly.”
Billy also recognized the importance of teamwork in his recovery. When Pooja was away, other therapists were familiar with his treatment plan and continued his rehabilitation without interruption.
“The therapists at Touro Rehabilitation Center all work together for the patient’s benefit,” Billy said. “They observe each other, share suggestions, and explore different approaches to rehabilitation. It was all about helping me get better.”
Pooja credits Billy's progress to his determination and willingness to work hard throughout his rehabilitation. “His motivation and perseverance really stood out,” she said. “The progress he made was a reflection of how much work he put in. He came to therapy ready to work every day and that pushed me to be creative by thinking outside the box. I loved the challenge of finding new ways to push him to help him reach the next step.”
Billy spent 31 days in inpatient rehabilitation before going home May 9. He continued rehabilitation closer to his Mandeville home. By June, he was driving and walking again.
From stroke to independence: Roy's remarkable recovery
Roy Cyprian’s life changed late one January night when he tried to get up from his sofa and realized he could not stand. Recognizing that something was seriously wrong, the 65-year-old New Orleans financial advisor called 911. He had suffered a stroke.
Roy transferred to Touro for inpatient rehabilitation on January 29 and remained there until March 6. When he arrived, his physical limitations were significant. He required assistance from three people just to transfer from his bed to a wheelchair.
Despite the challenges ahead, Roy was determined to regain his independence. His inpatient physical therapist, Megan Bretz, PT, DPT, NCS, initially questioned how much mobility he would be able to recover because of the severity of his deficits. But Roy's determination soon challenged her expectations.
“He is one of the patients I’ll remember the most in my career,” Megan said. “He wanted to walk right away, and I wasn’t sure he would get to walking based on his diagnosis. But he was extremely motivated and had a positive attitude, always ready for therapy, and he proved me wrong.”
Through intensive rehabilitation and continued determination, Roy made significant progress. Megan watched him go from relying on others for basic mobility to walking, driving, living independently, and eventually returning to work.
“Roy’s stroke stopped him in his tracks, but his recovery has been amazing,” Megan said. “I have seen hundreds of people with strokes, and how far he came from where he started is nothing short of miraculous.”
After leaving inpatient rehabilitation, Roy continued with Touro’s outpatient rehabilitation program for about four months. Today, he still has some limitations in his left shoulder and arm, but he walks independently, drives, and has returned to work.
He also accomplished a goal that helped motivate him throughout rehabilitation: returning to watch football games at his beloved St. Augustine High School.
Grateful for the care he received, Roy continues to visit the therapists and nurses who helped him during his recovery.
“They’re committed,” he said. “They like their job. They’ve been there a while. Their overall attitude is very, very nice, and the facility is top notch.”
Roy was familiar with Touro's reputation for rehabilitation even before his stroke. When it was time to transfer from acute care, he specifically requested Touro Rehabilitation Center.
Looking back on his recovery, Roy believes the hospital's No. 1 ranking is well deserved.
“Without a doubt,” Roy said. “This is the very best place for rehab anywhere. I love the team effort and the amazing attitudes of every therapist inpatient and in the outpatient center. I can’t imagine a place that would be better than Touro.”
A team approach to rehabilitation and recovery
Although Billy and Roy faced different medical challenges, their experiences highlight what physical therapists Megan and Pooja say is fundamental to Touro’s approach to rehabilitation: teamwork.
Touro’s inpatient rehabilitation team includes 10 physical therapists, 10 occupational therapists, and six speech therapists. Therapists communicate with one another, observe patients’ progress, and share ideas about techniques that may help. They also work directly with physicians and other members of the care team when medical issues could affect rehabilitation.
“We all work really well together, and we want what’s best for the patients,” Megan said.
Rehabilitation at Touro also extends beyond one-on-one therapy sessions. Patients can participate in groups focused on spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and stroke, as well as activities such as gardening, music, cooking, and crafts.
These activities provide opportunities to practice functional skills, build confidence, and connect with others facing similar challenges. They also help patients prepare for the everyday activities they hope to resume after leaving the hospital.
“We sometimes see people at their lowest,” Pooja said. “To then watch them regain their independence and get back to doing things we once weren’t sure they’d be able to do is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.”
Billy and Roy are examples of the remarkable progress Pooja describes. Billy went from losing sensation below his chest to walking and driving again. Roy, who initially needed three people to help him move from his bed to a wheelchair, has returned to work, regained his independence, and resumed attending the football games he loves.
While the No. 1 ranking from U.S. News & World Report recognizes Touro Rehabilitation Center's excellence in rehabilitation care, for Billy and Roy, the recognition is deeply personal. Behind their recoveries are dedicated therapists, physicians, and rehabilitation professionals who helped them accomplish something that once seemed uncertain: reclaiming their independence and returning to the lives they love.
For more information about Touro Rehabilitation Center and its comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, visit Inpatient & Outpatient Rehab - Touro Infirmary - New Orleans
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