Posted Date: 2/13/2009
When Margaret had her knee replacement surgery at Kaweah Delta Medical Center everything went as scheduled. But being 82 Margaret needed more time to recover and get back to her independence. Until now she would have been moved to a free standing skilled nursing facility for her rehabilitation needs.
On March 2, a new Short Stay Rehabilitation unit will open at the Kaweah Delta Rehabilitation Hospital to care for patients like Margaret. This unit will offer short-term services within a rehabilitation environment for patients whose needs are less complex than those who need more comprehensive acute rehabilitation services will. The Short Stay Rehabilitation Unit will be staffed by rehabilitation clinicians-physicians, nurses, and therapists with expertise in supporting rapid functional recovery. The new Unit will also offer more extensive physician oversight than is provided in a freestanding skilled nursing facility.
The new 16-bed short stay transitional rehabilitation unit is being opened in direct response to physician’s concern about having an environment to provide better outcomes for their patients. The typical diagnoses for patients in the Short Stay Unit will include hip and knee replacements, hip fractures, pelvic fractures, simple trauma, back surgery such as laminectomy and spinal fusion, and compression fracture. The Patients must be 18 years old or older.
The new transitional program is a short stay inpatient program designed to quickly return patients to their home environment. Patients will receive individualized therapy services designed to help them regain their independence. Physician supervision will ensure that the program is coordinated and responsive to each patient’s medical and functional needs.
Patients will receive therapy services 5-6 days per week. The intensity of therapies can be adjusted according to each patient’s needs and goals. In preparation for return to their regular routines, patients will wear street clothes and engage in every day activities. Nursing staff with experience in rehabilitation will support appropriate functional recovery while assisting with care needs. Social services staff will provide assistance in coordinating plans to return the patient home.
For information contact Lisa Harrold at 624-3854.
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