http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/study-shows-inpatient-rehabilitation-hospitals-like-sky-rehab-best-for/article_95f5f879-1d9d-5e73-bd0e-bc0381fd68e2.html
After a recent independent study, the
American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recommend
acute inpatient rehabilitation as opposed to nursing home care for
stroke patients. SKY Rehab is the only inpatient rehabilitation hospital
in the region.
"It's
validating. We've always felt our care was top notch,(No mention of results)" said SKY Rehab
Chief Executive Officer Stuart Locke. "Bowling Green is fortunate to
have this type of facility in southcentral Kentucky."
SKY Rehab Director of Rehabilitation Services Lou Anderson agreed.
"Before, people had to compare
the two. We've been doing this for over 20 years," she said. "We have a
lot of data to show what would be best for the patients."
SKY
Rehab is accredited by the Joint Commission and Commission for
Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities as a Stroke Specialty
Hospital(so what?), neither of which are an option for a long-term care facility,
Locke said.
"It's something we
do to stay on the cusp and provide the best care available," he
said. "We have all the things that a hospital has ... ."
Anderson finished the sentence: "... with a specialty of rehabilitation."
About 800,000 people have strokes each year in the United States, Anderson said.
"We want to give them the best care," she said.
According
to the study, rehabilitation services are delivered by a
multidisciplinary team of health care providers with training in
neurology, rehabilitation nursing, occupational therapy, physical
therapy and speech and language therapy.
"Therapists aren't the only ones doing rehab," Locke said. "Everyone's doing it 24/7. It doesn't stop when therapists go home."
The
team is under the leadership of a physiatrist, a doctor who is trained
in physical medicine and rehabilitation, or by neurologists who have
specialized training or board certification in rehabilitation medicine,
the study says. Other health professionals such as nurses, social
workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors also work with
patients.
"We have a
coordinated plan of care for patients. You have more specialization,"
Anderson said. "All the specialties come together under one facility. We
know what care the patient receives before they can go home. We work on
caring for the rehabilitation for that patient after they go home. We
evaluate them on admission. We evaluate them while they're here. We
evaluate them on discharge."
At
an inpatient rehab facility, a patient has at least three hours of
rehabilitation a day from physical therapists, occupational therapists
and speech therapists, the study says.
"Here, they see them seven days a week," Locke said.
The hospital is working to get the word out to patients.
"We've
already put some literature together on this for family members with
someone stricken with strokes," Anderson said. "We want to make it as
known as we possibly can."
Locke agreed.
"If this happens, this is what we can do," he said.
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