I was treated at the concussion clinic for a span of eight months for a concussion. The staff were all fantastic, they always had new progressions of exercises and new creative ways help me with my recovery. I would be much worse off without the help of all the concussion clinic and would highly recommend them to anyone seeking treatment for a concussion.
Phenomenally helpful! Excellent, compassionate, team based approach. Great communication, helpful staff, and a dramatic improvement in symptoms after a few weeks of following the suggested exercises and rest. I wish my GP had recognized my symptoms earlier, and had referred me. This is a great clinic and their protocols really do work.
I came here feeling totally hopeless, having headaches all day and other symptoms. Now that I finish the treatment I feel my self again. I am extremely happy about the results of the treatment. I want to give a big thank you to the whole team, they approach was very accurate. Big hugs to all.
Six months ago, I switched from a regular physio clinic to ACC's integrated-care system based on a recommendation from a peer. I was initially apprehensive, given the time and $$$ I had already invested with the one prior, but ultimately it was a good move in the long run.
Head trauma research has made huge leaps and bounds in recent years and that one one thing that was always on display during my visits to see Hilary (Physio). The experience was similar with Chantelle (OT) and Andrew (Counselling) who both demonstrated the same patience and ability to be transparent with the recovery process.
Reading some of the reviews on Google, the sentiment seems to vary in both positive and negative. It is important to acknowledge that the concussion recovery path varies for every individual based on the incident and any prior experiences/conditions. There is not a 'cookie cutter' approach and some recoveries can have ups and downs (as I've experienced.) If I could offer a tip, be patient and set progress goals rather than a hard timeline. You don't need the added stress anyway.
In terms of critique, I wouldn't say too much. If you have extended, then this is a great environment. If not, you might find it a little pricey. I would then rationalize whether you want to pay less or invest in specialized care for a brain-related injury.
Good luck!
I paid $450 for an assessment that was supposed to be done by a professional, and should have included a report and plan of action developed/reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team. Sounds like great value and something I'm willing to pay for if done well.
What I actually got was an assessment that was only slightly more thorough than what I received from a doctor at a walk-in clinic. The information the "professional" provided was not new to me and not as thorough as what I could find in an hour on Google. This person was not able to answer my questions or effectively defer them, but rather gave me vague answers which did not inspire confidence. For example (Q: "what specifically is causing the sensitivity to light?" A: "you have a weakness in your brain from the concussion"). I was told the team would consult and get back to me the next day. It's been a full month and I've yet to receive any report or plan.
I have called and emailed the clinic multiple times, and spoken on the phone with someone to whom I provided my concerns and feedback. I was consistently reassured that they would get back to me the next day or so, but this has never happened. Even after speaking in person with someone I am still waiting for a resolution.
I have little to no confidence in the team's expertise or that they care about my recovery.
I thought that I was doing everything right to recover from my concussion, but I wasn't getting better in fact, my symptoms seemed to be worsening. It wasn't until I saw the specialists at Advance Concussion Clinic and was given targeted treatments to address the symptoms that I began to improve. ACC gave me comprehensive care to deal with all the ways the concussion had impacted my life. Their team approach to treatment really works, and with their support, I'm returning to normal and am looking forward to returning to full-time work. I can't recommend them highly enough!
This is a kind review of my experience. This clinic likes to think their approach is beyond reproach. What their approach did was leave me out to dry with little to no care whether I got better or not. They like to bombard the patient with literature and statistics, but as anyone who has ever had a concussion/tbi knows that reading isn't the first hobby you get into after impact. I gave them a chance for over a year, seeing them 2-3 times per week and as one other review stated - being handled by a different person every two weeks. At the time my second OT left the clinic they said they'd call to book a new appointment with their new OT - I'm still waiting for the call.
After 18 months with this clinic I still had all of my original symptoms at slightly less intensity than the day I shuffled in. After finding a different practitioner and working with them (and their referrals) for 3 months my symptoms are almost gone. Seriously.
This clinic may think they know all the research but there's a real difference between being book-smart and actually knowing how to get a person better. Your brain deserves action. Save your time and especially money and find one of the other better practitioners who knows how to help you.
Good luck.
My experience with the clinic has been nothing but positive. The team hear that i was involved with in my opinion went above and beyond any health care professionals i have been involved with and recently and that has been a lot. I mainly came in for concussion but with my accident suffered a burst fracture of my t12 vertebrae which i needed multiple surgeries on. Not even being part of the concussion they addressed how much pain my back was causing me and sent me to the proper professionals to deal with problem. Going to this clinic has played a huge role in my recovery from my accident. The team hear was on top of everything i needed to do to get better not just with the concussion but as a whole. I can not thank the team enough for the work and over all genuine compassion they had towards me. A special thanks to Chantelle the OT, Andrew for counseling, Billy for physio, and last but not least Hillary for vestibular physio.
Nice building in a decent area of Vancouver. Staff is always kind and usually helpful but I'd advise you to not get too attached to any of the treatment providers there as they have a bit of a revolving door when it comes to their staff. Everyone who provided me treatment, aside from the Neuropsych, is gone. And I only started treatment there in January of 2017. After roughly 20+ appointments at Advance Concussion Clinic and after following all their exercises/recommendations, I've seen little to no change in my symptoms and day to day life. They charge no less than $100 for each appointment and you pay the high prices they charge because they say they will all work together in formulating the best plan for your recovery BUT the multidisciplinary communication that they sell you on (during your intake) isn't nearly as big of a factor as they make it out to be.
My advice: Save yourself the drives out there, the money and the hassle. Get your treatment from any physiotherapy clinic near you that employs somone specializing in concussion/TBI.
I had a great experience at the Advanced Concussion Clinic. My support team were very professional, informative, supportive and very caring and I always felt they had my best interest in mind. Dealing with concussion can be complicated, and my team provided me great insight and help and enhanced my self awareness so I could help myself overcome some of the challenges I was having. I would highly recommend the Advanced Concussion Clinic. Thank you Team!
Terrible. No follow up after the initial assessment. I ended up going to a better clinic, cheaper and a history of helping severe TBI.
I started treatment from ACC in January and am very happy with how everything went! I was quite unsure in the beginning, as I am from Saskatchewan and would be doing every appointment over Skype, but all appointments went great! Being able to do Skype sessions was easier than I expected. The physiotherapy was easy to understand over video chat and the progression of exercises was exactly what I needed. I was also concerned in the beginning since I had been suffering from a concussion for three years and did not think anything could help. But after the initial assessment, I knew that ACC had the tools to help me recover in no time. Needless to say, they have a fabulous team that is able to assist you whenever you need! I would recommend anyone, from anywhere, that suffers from a concussion to go to ACC because they will help you get to your goals of normal cognitive function!
I began going to this clinic 2 months after a serious car accident I was in. They were great in informing me how the concussion protocol had changed from when I was younger and they were very knowledgeable in providing me exercises and activities that helped me and my symptoms progress.
I have been very happy with the progress I made and all the staff.
They charged me $125 to do an online IMPACT test, then never followed up with my results. The test is actually only useful to track your progress if you seek out continued care from this clinic. They didn't inform me of this from the get go. To be honest, completing the online test should be 100% free since it requires zero effort by any of their staff. They could charge a fee to have their team go over the results with the patient, but never got that!
They also charged $250/hr to chat with an OT, basically to inform me of things I could find with a 20 minute google search and to provide a fairly generic gradual return to work plan. The OT was very nice and personable but to be honest I expect a lot more than that for $250/hr. They also charged $450 for a single 2h visit with a physiotherapist, which was actually fairly helpful and informative, but the charge-out rate was simply too high compared to other clinics.
I had mild symptoms and needed an official return to work plan from a healthcare provider. I think this clinic might be really very helpful for anyone with more severe symptoms. For me it just seemed like very high prices for the assessment and advice I received.
Update: The clinic agreed to refund the $125 I paid for the ImPACT test and offered a complimentary follow-up test and analysis by their Psychologist. They expressed interest in continuing to improve their service.
My son recently suffered a concussion and we went to the Advance Concussion Clinic for further assessment/treatment. I truly believe that the clinic's singular focus on concussion works well for patients (and their families) in terms of delivering detailed assessment and treatment plans. The clinic also does a great job in helping people better understand the short term and longer term steps toward recovery. I very much recommend the clinic those dealing with concussions.
The doctors at this office are amazing. They are kind, knowledgeable, and make you feel like you are in safe hands. However, there medical office assistants are the worst I have ever seen. They never pick up the phone, there voice mail box is continual full, which prevents you from leaving messages, most of them hardly speak english, and they will never return your call. The worst part of all is that if the office requires some information, medical form, or prior information pertinent to an upcoming appointment, they will call the day before, which leaves you with next to no time to get documentation in order. Overall, the office staff have caused a great deal of stress for me and have even caused some of my appointments to be rescheduled months later because of a clerical error on their end. That is a significant impact on the quality of care I am receiving and only serves to increase the time it takes for me to recover from my concussion. Oh and if you try to explain how there abysmal service is negatively impacting your care, they will simply hangup on you.
One of the best medical facilities for concussion recovery! Would recommend this place to anyone struggling with concussion and post-concussion symptoms. Their integrated team approach is very helpful and targets all aspects of concussions.
advanceconcussion.com
