Sheltering Arms Institute Partners with Limber Health to Drive Patient-Centered Innovation in Rehabilitation 02.18.2025 (February 18, 2025) — Sheltering Arms Institute, a nationally recognized leader in physical rehabilitation, has announced a partnership with Limber Health, a premier digital health solution facilitating the delivery of hybrid care for musculoskeletal (MSK) and neurological conditions. This partnership helps drive forward Sheltering Arms Institute’s mission to integrate innovative technology into patient care, extending its high-quality rehabilitation services beyond the clinic. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Sheltering Arms Institute is a joint venture between Sheltering Arms and VCU Health, specializing in state-of-the-art physical medicine and rehabilitation. The Institute is widely celebrated for its comprehensive, patient-centered approach to recovery, with programs tailored to support individuals with neurological and musculoskeletal conditions. Through this partnership, Sheltering Arms Institute is implementing Limber Health’s cutting-edge technology and platform across its outpatient operations, incorporating remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) for patients with Medicare receiving physical therapy services, digital home exercise programs, patient-reported outcome collection, peer benchmark data, and patient satisfaction metrics. These tools aim to increase patient engagement, empower clinical decision-making, and improve patient outcomes. As a key piece of the partnership, Sheltering Arms Institute has launched the Sheltering Arms Institute mobile app, powered by Limber Health. The app enables patients to complete their prescribed home exercise program with follow-along instructional videos in an engaging and user-friendly environment. Additionally, the app provides access to at-home support from a remote care navigator, a licensed therapy professional who extends the in-clinic care provided by their Sheltering Arms Institute clinician. Patients benefit from personalized virtual coaching, motivation, and guidance to stay on track with their rehabilitation programs between in-person visits. “As a technology partner, Limber gives us an innovative pathway to help patients achieve even better outcomes,” said Matt Wilks, PT, MSPT, Chief Rehabilitation Officer of Sheltering Arms Institute. “In between their scheduled appointments following illness or injury, Limber significantly improves the frequency and effectiveness of the engagement between patients and clinicians.” Michael Gruner, CEO of Limber Health, shared his enthusiasm for the collaboration: “We are excited to partner with Sheltering Arms Institute in advancing the future of musculoskeletal and neurological care. Together, we are delivering a hybrid care model that empowers patients to achieve greater success with recovery outside of the clinic and elevates the overall standard of care in rehabilitation.” For more information about Sheltering Arms Institute and its services, please visit ShelteringArmsInstitute.com. About Sheltering Arms Institute Sheltering Arms Institute is a non-profit and donor-supported state-of-the-science physical rehabilitation hospital and network of outpatient centers that brings together the brand and clinical reputation of Sheltering Arms and the nationally ranked programs and research of VCU Health through a joint venture. Ranked the #1 physical rehabilitation hospital in Virginia and #19 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the Institute blends advanced technology, research, and evidence-based clinical treatment to create an innovative, transdisciplinary model of rehabilitative care that facilitates superior outcomes for patients. For more information, please visit ShelteringArmsInstitute.com. About Limber Health Limber Health is enabling the delivery of the world’s leading hybrid model of in-person and digital musculoskeletal (MSK) care. Developed by physical therapists and physicians, Limber Health empowers providers with a complete digital toolkit for Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM), Home Exercise Programs (HEP), Outcomes Collection, MIPS Reporting, and the shift to value-based care. Clinically validated through research conducted at Mayo Clinic and awarded Most Impactful New Technology by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Limber empowers providers in augmenting in-person clinician visits with digital at-home support to best meet patients where they are. To learn more, visit LimberHealth.com.
Sheltering Arms Institute Adds Voice Assistants to Patient Rooms 12.06.2024 RICHMOND, Va. (December 6, 2024) — Sheltering Arms Institute, a local physical rehabilitation hospital and network of outpatient centers, is deploying Amazon’s voice-controlled devices to provide greater independence to patients like 22-year-old Jaiden Picot who have limited mobility. In August, Picot was hit by a truck while riding an e-scooter on his way to work causing him to sustain a C4 spinal cord injury which paralyzed him from the chest down. “I try to stay grounded and smiling,” Picot said. “My family and friends really help me with mental support and support in general. I just plan to stay positive while I get through this phase in my life.” He is currently participating in inpatient rehabilitation at Sheltering Arms Institute, practicing self-care tasks, walking with robotic exoskeletons, and driving his power wheelchair in addition to learning how smart–room technology can assist with daily tasks. “Alexa can help me with a number of different tasks in my room, so I don’t always have to call my nurse to do small things for me. I really think it’s important to give people the feeling of being able to do something by themselves,” Picot said. Patients can ask their new voice assistant a variety of commands, including turning the TV on and off, changing the channel, setting alarms or reminders, playing music, games, or sleep sounds, and answering frequently asked questions about the facility. The devices also provide greater efficiency to hospital team members by allowing voice control of some tasks. And because Alexa is always listening, the voice-activated devices are equipped with some very important upgrades and modifications to ensure conversations and interactions that take place in patient rooms remain private and secure in accordance with patient confidentiality laws. “We are pleased to work with a company called Aiva Health on this project to provide a safe and accessible way for patients to preview and learn technology that they could use in their own homes,” said Amber Walter, PT, DPT, NCS, director of clinical science at Sheltering Arms Institute. “We are the first physical rehabilitation hospital in the area to have this feature in patient rooms.” Sheltering Arms Institute currently has the voice-activated technology in all 30 patient rooms on its spinal cord injury and complex care unit—the Dallas Disbro Ability Center—thanks to generous funding from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation and hopes to expand its use throughout the hospital more in the future. ### About Sheltering Arms Institute Sheltering Arms Institute is a non-profit and donor-supported state-of-the-science physical rehabilitation hospital and network of outpatient centers that brings together the brand and clinical reputation of Sheltering Arms and the nationally ranked programs and research of VCU Health through a joint venture. Ranked the #1 physical rehabilitation hospital in Virginia and #19 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the Institute blends advanced technology, research, and evidence-based clinical treatment to create an innovative, transdisciplinary model of rehabilitative care that facilitates superior outcomes for patients. For more information, please visit ShelteringArmsInstitute.com.
