FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information:
Margo Trott Collins
mcollins@macphysicians.com
610-390-2477
Portable Concussion Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment is Now a Reality Thanks to Patent-Pending MAC-Cart Technology
Phoenix Physical Therapy Is First Health Group to Provide Portable MAC Brain Health Cart Providing Better, Faster Traumatic Brain Injury Diagnosis, Management and Treatment
HOCKESSIN, DELAWARE November 10, 2021: Mid-Atlantic Concussion (MAC) Alliance announced today that Phoenix Physical Therapy will be the first physical therapy group to offer the new patent-pending portable brain health screening and diagnosis innovation, MAC Brain Health Cart at five of its Pennsylvania locations.
With this revolutionary brain monitoring and concussion tool, medical offices, athletic training facilities, nursing homes, schools, and high-risk workplaces now have access to the latest neurocognitive, infrared, and vestibular technologies for brain injury and baseline testing, in virtually any location.
Portable, accurate and fast, the MAC-Cart is truly a game-changer in traumatic brain injury (TBI) testing, identification, and care, according to MAC Alliance Medical Director, Dr. Vincent E. Schaller, MD.
The mobile device offers three of the world’s leading screening and traumatic brain injury diagnostic technologies in one portable, affordable unit, making advanced brain screening and monitoring more accessible than ever before.
The first five Pennsylvania Phoenix centers that now provide MAC-Cart mobile technology are located in Gilbertsville, Harleysville, Reading, Robesonia and West Chester.
“The partnership we have with MAC Alliance and getting the MAC-Cart has given us the ability to offer not only our patients but also local doctors access to specialist concussion care and testing that was previously unavailable,” says Robert White, DPT, clinic director of Phoenix Physical Therapy – Reading. “The objective data we get with the MAC-Cart technology has also made a significant difference in helping to monitor the progress patients are making and allows us to make the most informed decision on returning them to work or sport.”
Why MAC-Cart is a Game Changer
The timing of a TBI diagnosis is crucial. The longer a concussion goes undiagnosed and untreated, the greater the risk for lingering debilitating effects, and for long-term brain damage. The MAC-Cart can cut down the time between initial injury and diagnosis because:
- MAC-Cart is exceptionally portable. The wheeled cart can be used wherever an outlet is present. It breaks down easily into compact sections that can be transported in an SUV or minivan—so it can go where it’s needed. This can save valuable time often spent trying to locate a doctor’s office or hospital that administers concussion tests.
- Brain screening technology on the MAC-Cart can be administered without a doctor present. Tests can be done at any location where the MAC-Cart is available. All results will be sent to a MAC physician that specializes in concussions and TBIs, who will then explain the results and treatment plan—all without sacrificing the quality of care or privacy.
- MAC-Cart provides three of the best available concussion tests all in one spot. When gauging the severity of a brain injury, using multiple tests can help distinguish different aspects of injuries and symptoms. This allows MAC partners like Phoenix Physical Therapy to offer fast, accurate and customized screenings for each patient. Not many clinics or doctor’s offices have all three of these tests readily available.
MAC-Cart: A Study in Innovation and Evolution
MAC-Cart is a compact and transportable hub that includes EyeGuide Focus (advanced infrared eye-tracking technology), as well as two computerized neurocognitive testing platforms: UPMC-developed, FDA-approved ImPACT and the advanced diagnostic tool Cambridge Brain Science (CBS) Health. The cart’s laptop allows users to connect with concussion specialists through secured telemedicine systems. MAC Alliance physicians read the test results and can provide treatment guidance and/or follow-up care. Test results can also be securely emailed or printed on the MAC-Cart’s attached printer for patients.
“The MAC-Cart leasing program is designed to make the latest in brain health screening, concussion testing and diagnostic technology affordable to clinics and organizations who might otherwise not have access,” says Dr. Schaller, He created the MAC-Cart while in lockdown during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From Dr. Schaller’s early drawings and prototypes, what began as “MAC Concussion Cart” evolved into today’s MAC Brain Health Cart after additional applications beyond concussion diagnosis and screening emerged. “We are pleased that EyeGuide’s 10-second brain health screening platform is playing an important role in the MAC-Cart initiative. EyeGuide FOCUS replaces the “follow my finger” test with a simple fast and affordable way to capture objective data on eye movements and ocular motor function – providing valuable new insights to experts as often as needed,” says Shane Keating, CEO of EyeGuide, Inc.
For more about the revolutionary MAC-Cart, go to www.MAC-Cart.com.
About Mid-Atlantic Concussion (MAC) Alliance
Mid-Atlantic Concussion Alliance is dedicated to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of concussions and other TBIs. Since 2010, the group has treated over 13,000 concussion patients, utilizing a wide array of advanced screening and diagnostic technologies. MAC Alliance’s membership includes more than 100 medical offices, including physical therapy centers, urgent care centers, primary care offices, chiropractors and occupational health centers. Headquartered in Hockessin, Delaware, MAC Alliance also works with over 300 schools in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Concussion specialist Vincent E. Schaller, MD, DABFM, CIC, is the president and medical director of MAC Alliance and has been interviewed by ESPN for his concussion expertise, and his writings have appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer and Cape Gazette. More information is available at https://macconcussion.com
Media Contact: Margo Trott Collins, mcollins@macphysicians.com, 610-390-2477.