Malvern, Pa. - Edward J. Murphy, Psy.D., director of Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital's Neurospyschological Services, was recently honored by the American Trauma Society, Pennsylvania Division, for outstanding contributions to trauma prevention and education.

Dr. Murphy's keen interest in the cognitive recovery of patients with brain injuries and illnesses underscores his clinical work as well as his research and teaching.  He also is deeply involved in preventing brain injuries from happening in the first place, especially in the young.

For example, not only is he studying concussion-prone school athletes ages 13 to 18 years old under a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, he is training athletic directors, coaches, and school nurses how to prevent brain injuries and how to recognize post-concussion symptoms. 

"Athletes who have not fully recovered from a concussion are vulnerable for repeat concussions that can cause permanent brain damage." warns Dr. Murphy.  Under this grant, computerized comprehension tests will enable Dr. Murphy to compare brain processing speed, reaction time and memory function before and after a concussion to gauge recovery.

Dr. Murphy, who received his Doctor of Psychology degree from Hahnemann Medical College, also is an investigator for a National Institutes of Health grant evaluating whether a medication once used to treat Parkinson's disease can help patients become more responsive as they emerge from a coma.  This is just one of many grants through the Consciousness Consortium, which includes BMRH and seven other rehabilitation institutions in the U.S. and Germany.

While research is important, counseling both inpatients and outpatients is at the heart of his work, and he is often praised for his extraordinary kindness and compassion with patients and their families.  "We seek ways to ease the suffering of people struggling to regain their ability to analyze, comprehend and remember things," he says.  "If we can't help patients get all the way back to where they were, cognitively speaking, we can at least help them cope with where they are."

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital is a pioneer and leader in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation.  Located in Malvern, the hospital offers a unique environment for recovery for individuals with brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and other physical and cognitive disabilities.  With 148 beds and an extensive Outpatient Network, the hospital is the largest and most comprehensive rehabilitation services organization in the region.  Last year, the hospital treated more than 3,100 inpatients - including 600 patients in its award-winning Brain Injury Program -- and provided more than 28,000 outpatient visits for patients of all ages at seven locations in Philadelphia's western suburbs.

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Note to Editor:  Digital photo available upon request.
Caption:  Award recipients at the recent annual conference of the American Trauma Society, Pennsylvania Division, are (from left) Dr. Calvin B. Johnson, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health; Lynne Abraham, District Attorney of Philadelphia; and Edward J. Murphy, Psy. D. of Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital.  Presenting awards is (right) Dr. John M. Templeton, ATS of PA president.

Published:4-20-2007

Cynthia Atwood

Public Relations Coordinator

610-251-5710

atwoodc@mlhs.org