Specialty Management Model

As our understanding of the human body and its illnesses increased in the 19th and 20th century physicians found the need to specialize to understand and exploit the increasingly complex and intricate knowledge about each of the body's organ systems.  A person with a problem will commonly seek relief by visiting their primary practitioner.  The practitioner, after an assessment of the problem, will frequently then refer their patient to a specialist for care of the problem. When multiple organ systems are involved in the problem, however, a single specialist or sub-specialist may not have the knowledge to understand the relationships of the involved organ systems to the degree necessary to effectively manage a person's problems.  This is a particular risk for individuals seeking management of their chronic disabilities. Suboptimal outcomes with associated complications can result.

Team Management Model

As increasing numbers of treatments became available to manage children and adults with cerebral palsy a team management approach began to emerge.  Orthopedists, neurosurgeons, physiatrists and physiotherapists collaborated to manage abnormal muscle tone and complications resulting from it, demonstrating improved outcomes for their patients. The physicians at Function have an extensive experience with team management of cerebral palsy and have used this to model a similar approach for managing other chronic disabilities of the neuromuscular system.  This results in the consideration for and use of a broad range of classical and cutting edge therapies including: