Rehabilitation Institute Research Corporation

What it reported doing in 2010

The Rehabilitation Institute Research Center (RIRC) at RIC is the world's largest physical medicine and rehabilitation research enterprise in pursuit of clinical advancement through scientific discovery and is ranked #1 by the National Institutes of Health for rehabilitation research. RIRC has at any given time approximately 300 research projects underway, funded by more than $18 million in donations from both private and public sources. Its experts regularly publish research in the world's foremost medical journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and its European equivalent, The Lancet, and it is home to a record seven federal research designations to develop cutting-edge solutions for patients.Stroke ResearchRIRC operates the only Stroke Rehabilitation Research & Training Center as designated by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), in the nation. With stroke as the leading cause of disability in America, RIRC is developing exciting new robotic hand orthosis systems and exploring virtual-reality technologies to help patients return to work, and to community and home based activities.Neurologic Rehabilitation ResearchRIRC hosts one of seven programs in the country within the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research awarded by the National Institutes of Health. Within this network of experts, RIRC is the only one focused on the groundbreaking application of neural engineering and robotic techniques to understand, diagnose and treat such neurologic disorders such as brain injury, multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons disease. Traumatic Brain Injury ResearchRIRC also operates the Midwest Regional Traumatic Brain Injury Care System as designated by NIDRR. One of only 16 TBI Model Systems nationwide, RICs model system establishes a coordinated system of expert care for people with TBI, including pre-hospital, emergency, acute, long-term acute and community care, and intensive rehabilitation. RICs experts are pioneering immersive virtual environments with teleoperated robotic devices that challenge traditional treatment and help patients with brain injury recover.Spinal Cord Injury ResearchRIRC operates the Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System as designated by NIDRR. One of only 14 SCI Model Systems nationwide, RIC advances spinal cord care through clinical research that identifies new standards of care for the industry. It leads multiple independent and collaborative research projects exploring walking therapy technologies that deliver the most effective treatment to advance ability.Engineering ResearchMachines assist therapists in providing longer, more consistent and intensive therapies that track progress and improve functional performance. RIRC is designated one of 20 NIDRR Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers and the only one focused on robotics.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: Limited
• Program expense ratio: Limited
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Limited
  • Conducts field audits: Pass
  • May suspend future funding: Limited
  • Requires financial reports: Limited
  • Conducts site visits: Limited
  • Requires grant agreements: Limited
  • May require repayment: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.9%; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Scored; rating input score 0

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 66.7%; rating input score 67; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -6.9%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
• Officer compensation ratio: 4%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: -12.9% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -200% per year; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings