What is Neuro-IFRAH?

Where do I look up types, descriptions, and objectives of courses?   

There is so much information out there where do I start?                         

Is there research for Neuro-IFRAH?                                                           

Do you accept or bill Insurance?

Is a custom orthotic a better choice than prefabricated orthotic?       

How long should I wait before testing for Neuro-IFRAH Certification after taking the home study course?                                                                  

Is testing for the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course by home study only done in California?                                                                                      

Do you recommend on site courses or home study courses?                      

I have taken other Neuro courses from Waleed Al-Oboudi prior to the current courses. Should I take a Neuro-IFRAH® course?                        

Can I take a Neuro-IFRAH® advanced course if I have not taken the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course? What if I have taken other Neuro courses elsewhere?                                                                                

How does specialization work? What is the process?                                  

I would like to take the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course, however I prefer not treating patients during the course. Is that an option?       

Can I order patient demonstrations without a course?                           

My facility has a contract only with certain vendors, can your orthotics be provided by our authorized vendor, or do we have to go through Neuro-IFRAH Products?

Can you give me more information on Center of Excellence programs?

Which Businesses are Licensed to fabricate Neuro-IFRAH Orthotics?

What is your Return Policy?

What are the shipping options?

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FAQ for Orthotics and therapy aids

Do you accept or bill Insurance?   Please visit Kinemedic Concepts at www.kinemedic.com

Is it possible to get insurance reimbursement? Please visit Kinemedic Concepts at www.kinemedic.com

I’ve submitted my claim, and now my insurance company is asking for a letter of medical necessity.  How do I go about getting one?  Please visit Kinemedic Concepts at www.kinemedic.com

What if a prefabricated small, medium, or large does not look like it will fit?  What should I do?  Please visit Kinemedic Concepts at www.kinemedic.com

What if the patient will not fit the desired prefabricated orthotic?   Please visit Kinemedic Concepts at www.kinemedic.com

What is your return/repair policy?   Please visit Kinemedic Concepts at www.kinemedic.com

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What is Neuro-IFRAH?                                                                           Neuro-Integrative Functional Rehabilitation And Habilitation (NEURO-IFRAH®) is an approach originated by Waleed Al-Oboudi, MOT, OTR. The unique name of the approach was originated by the author to give an overall idea to the reader regarding the scope of this approach. The word Neuro- was selected because this approach is intended for patients who are affected by lesions at the level of the brain stem and above. The word Integrative was selected to describe that this approach is integrative on all levels. It is integrative of all systems of the person as well as all information past and present. It is integrative of all internal as well as external variables and combinations and products of these variables affecting patient response, normal or otherwise. It is integrative and inclusive of fields of study as well as bodies of information. It is integrative in terms of variables related to therapists, the rehabilitation team, rehabilitation programs, facilities, home, community, and other environmental variables…..It is integrative at all these levels and much more. Any variable that has an affect on the patient needs to be considered. The word Functional means meets intended purpose or need, thus the word functional was selected because this approach is functional. All aspects of rehabilitation and habilitation are individualized to meet the patients intended purpose or need. The words Rehabilitation and Habilitation were selected because this is what we do in therapy. It encompasses many aspects of therapy, thus there is no reason to find other words. One aspect of rehabilitation is to restore to the fullest physical, mental, social, vocational, economic status thus rehabilitation is not limited. However, our patients are not only re-acquiring skills they are learning new ones as well. Thus Habilitation occurs throughout alongside with rehabilitation.

The powerful words used in the name of the approach gives a small glimpse of the wide scope of this truly dynamic, highly individualized, whole person, functional, inclusive, and visionary approach.

Where do I look up types, descriptions, and objectives of courses?

You can look up courses at
www.neuro-ifrah.org
www.Neuro-IFRAHProducts.com
www.Neuro-IFRAHInstructors.com

There is so much information out there where do I start?     First of all it is important to note that ideas/approaches are intended to serve therapists who in turn serve patients. That means you need to make information work for you. In our opinion approaches that are not inclusive limit therapists and lead to destructive tendencies in healthcare. In Neuro-IFRAH® whatever helps the patient progress and elevates the status of healthcare is welcomed. The standard to evaluate the effectiveness of any approach is the results you get on patients. That could be a simple guide for the team. There are a lot of theories that are not backed by effective practical application. Being effective is not an all or none phenomena. One can be effective and yield positive results but the results and degree of effectiveness in terms of time and amount can be enhanced with another approach. Thus in reading any book it is true that one can not judge a book by its cover but you can effectively judge the approach by the results and depth demonstrated in the patient case studies and demonstrations. Thus in summary theory amounts to only words that are not impressive if the results are not convincing in the application.

Is there research for Neuro-IFRAH®?                                   Research is underway in many aspects for Neuro-IFRAH®. Many concepts are built on principles learned in physical and occupational therapy in terms of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, normal biomechanics in a variety of functional and activities ie gait, body mechanics, joint protection…etc. which are in themselves topics that are researched. Neuro-IFRAH® has so many aspects from handling to orthotics and tools that have been extremely effective in yielding positive results in resolving patient impairments and improving function as demonstrated on patients nationally in every course and as reported by clinicians throughout the nation. In addition the Neuro-IFRAH Organization has perhaps the largest Neuro-IFRAH Video library documenting patient treatment programs and progress over various time spans. This collection has been most impressive to therapists nationally and internationally. Steps for research are underway and information will be available to the public at a later date.

The unique approach of using video to document all research vs. reporting done by the researcher is an important part of research that will be made available to the public in the future.

Is a custom orthotic a better choice than prefabricated orthotic?
It depends on the product and the patient. For example, the humeral external rotation unit is most effective in custom fit due to the variation in body types making a precise fit difficult in prefabrication. If your patient does not fall within specified measurements for prefabricated units than a custom orthotic may be the better choice. A custom orthotic is specifically designed for your patient, it may cost more but it is custom made to fit and is highly individualized.

How long should I wait before testing for Neuro-IFRAH Certification after taking the home study course?
There is no specific waiting period recommended. If you are finished with studying the manuals and the DVDs and if you have practiced this material with others and started to incorporate this information into your treatment then you may be ready for testing.

Is testing for the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course by home study only done in California?
Testing is available throughout the United States and internationally. Please check Neuro-IFRAHInstructors.com for available dates or to request a testing date and location.

Do you recommend on site courses or home study courses?
It depends on the student. Many people do better learning at their own pace in their own home and/or attending a course on site may not be feasible for them. Others prefer getting away from home and being graded in a classroom situation. In home study programs the participant has the choice to be tested and thus has the opportunity to be guided and supervised by a Neuro-IFRAH Instructor® over two days which is more manageable to them. The students in classroom instruction also have the option of purchasing the text and videos so they can review materials again and again at their own pace should they have difficulty concentrating during some parts of the course. The beauty of having the options is what enhances education. Definitely manuals and videos allow the participants the opportunity to repeat information and review at their own pace, which leads to a better education whether at home or in the classroom.
Over the years many therapists who are interested in specializing or teaching have taken the same course more than once by their own choice. This is because they felt that each time they took the course they understood the material on a deeper level and that enhanced their clinical practice. The text and the audiovisuals will hopefully meet that need for the therapist.

I have taken other Neuro courses from Waleed Al-Oboudi prior to the current courses. Should I take a Neuro-IFRAH® course?
It is important to note that the Neuro-IFRAH® courses include Mr. Al-Oboudi’s highly effective strategies and concepts, and the depth and application recommended by him. In addition the Neuro-IFRAH® courses are specifically designed to cover a wide range of information that is only taught in Neuro-IFRAH® courses. Based on the positive consumer feedback from those therapists who were previous students of Mr. Al-Oboudi who have now taken a Neuro-IFRAH® course Mr. Al-Oboudi highly recommends the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course as a baseline for his advanced and ultra advanced courses.

Can I take a Neuro-IFRAH® advanced course if I have not taken the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course? What if I have taken other Neuro courses elsewhere?
At this time we have two types of advanced courses. We do have advanced courses that are specifically designed for therapists who have not taken the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course. Basically these courses cover part of the information in the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course and prepare the participant for the other type of advanced courses developed for participants who have taken the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course. We have provided this option to not exclude participants from education. At this time in history this option is available.

How does specialization work? What is the process?
With all Neuro-IFRAH® Specialist programs participants must have taken an advanced course and ultra advanced course specific to the topic of specialization. The other weeks of training are spent in hands on patient treatment and management being mentored by the Author and/or Neuro-IFRAH® Instructors.
The schedule for the clinical portion of the specialist program is scheduled in 1 to 2 week increments.

I would like to take the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course, however I prefer not treating patients during the course. Is that an option?
That is perfectly ok and that is your choice. We provide the options of Certification courses with patients, without patients, or testing without patients as is done in many approaches and fields of study in healthcare. Of course you always have the option of home study information with or without testing as well. We have provided all of these options based on consumer needs nationally and internationally over the years to serve you best.

Can I order patient demonstrations without a course?
The answer is yes. We are planning on making perhaps the largest collection of patient treatment demonstrations available to the public. This will occur in phases. However I strongly recommend the manuals and the audiovisuals as they help tremendously in knowing the background and enhance the understanding of the patient demonstrations.


My facility has a contract only with certain vendors, can your orthotics be provided by our authorized vendor, or do we have to go through Neuro-IFRAH Products?
We can make arrangements with certain vendors providing that they contact us and sign specific agreements regarding confidentiality and intellectual property. In many cases staff has proposed that the facility has a direct contract with Neuro-IFRAH Products thus eliminating having to go through another middle entity. Also having a direct contact with Neuro-IFRAH Products makes it easier to have access to all the latest equipment as well as the wide range of products without delay. We will be very glad to facilitate the process of having your facility establish an account with Neuro-IFRAH Products.

Can you give me more information on Center of Excellence programs?
Center of Excellence programs were established to meet facility needs in regards to program and staff development as well as patient treatment outcomes.
These programs are patient oriented in that the focus is on effective and applicable treatment and management that maximize the patients functional outcomes and improve the quality of care overall.
The thought process and experience behind program development and mentoring the team is based on over 30 years experience in healthcare when it comes to developing programs that are patient outcome oriented.
Audiovisuals and support materials and protocols will be provided.
The training is conducted by highly trained experts.

Thus in summary overall our Center of Excellence programs are different and unique in the focus on clinical issues in addition to administrative program development issues.

To be certified as a Center of Excellence by the Neuro-IFRAH® Organization is a process that involves multi-level training and is directly associated with identified high quality outcomes. It has been brought to our attention the term center of excellence is used in other circles however does not involve clinical issues. As clinicians that should not be surprising because we are aware that awards of excellence and the term excellence is used for rewarding other aspects not only clinical. This is perfectly fine; however in this case we are including clinical issues as well, with an emphasis on patient functional outcomes.