Rehab hospitals, sometimes called inpatient rehab centers, are dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with a variety of musculoskeletal, neurological, and other physical disorders after stabilization of their acute physical problems. Patients who require inpatient rehab services are those who have suffered from an injury or trauma of some sort and require specialized medical care to restore their health. Some injuries may require surgery or reconstructive surgery; others may mean a return to school or vocational training. While many injuries can be successfully treated through the care and assistance of a physical therapist, more serious injuries may require rehabilitation. Many people suffering from traumatic injuries choose to receive inpatient rehab care at a rehabilitation hospital to recover safely.
REHAB HOSPITALS
If an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility is not the right choice for a patient, he or she may want to consider living at home in a non-rehab facility. These facilities offer the same types of therapeutic treatments as a rehab hospital, but allow patients to live at home instead of being placed in a hospital. However, many doctors and therapists at these facilities are not familiar with the specific needs of younger, rehabilitated patients, so it may be necessary to hire an experienced home health care provider.
If you have a family member or loved one who needs urgent medical care, it may be better to send him or her to a rehabilitation hospital for evaluation and treatment. In addition, family members can stay in the family home while receiving care in a rehabilitation hospital. This gives everyone peace of mind, since there is a higher chance that loved ones will receive proper medical attention when they are in a reputable rehabilitation hospital.
LOOKING FOR A REHAB HOSPITAL
When looking for a rehabilitation hospital, look for a place that is well-equipped for patients recovering from a wide variety of illnesses and injuries. There should be a fully-staffed doctor's office and surgical area. The outpatient facility should also have a fully-staffed pharmacy and surgical floor. In addition, it should have the latest, best equipment. The newest surgical technologies, such as the Robotic Tissue Expander, are becoming more widely used in all sorts of hospitals around the country, so make sure your potential rehab hospital can use them.
It's important to find a rehab hospital that has top-notch emergency medical services. Because most injuries require surgery, the emergency room will be one of the frontlines of treatment. There should be no waiting time for other patients, and all emergency treatment should be covered by your insurance. The emergency room should also have a full complement of nurses and doctors.
A good rehabilitation hospital will offer a full range of services for patients' recovery from all kinds of illnesses and injuries. If you're looking for a hospital where a patient may recover from a neck injury, you don't want to find out after the fact that their neck is paralyzed. They should have an expert rehabilitation staff on their team who knows how to handle spinal cord injuries and how to provide the best possible outcome. General hospitals don't have the expertise to do this kind of work. If you're traveling abroad, the best course of action is to have someone on your travel team who can handle this type of specialized treatment and recovery.
A long-term acute care hospital is very different from a short-term or outpatient facility. When you're dealing with a condition that requires hospitalization for a prolonged period of time, you need to find the right place. This could be a nursing home, a skilled nursing facility (SNA), or a pam rehabilitation hospital. These centers offer specialized, long-term acute care services to patients who may need extra assistance for months, or years, after they have become ill. Sometimes, a patient may need a life support system to help him or her deal with the complications of a chronic illness, such as Alzheimer's, which makes it difficult to maintain normal daily activities. A long-term rehabilitation unit is the place to go if you or a loved one needs ongoing post acute care services.
Long-term rehabilitation hospitals are sometimes called inpatient rehabilitation facilities, because patients who are receiving rehabilitation therapy from the medical facility are discharged into the general population. They can go home to their familiar surroundings, but they will be staying in the medical facility for the duration of the treatment. This gives the patients more chance to return to a normal lifestyle and to resume their normal responsibilities and duties. In some cases, the patients may not need to stay in the hospital for long, depending on their general health and the progress of their condition.
